Inhale Love
by SoLetsPlayDoctorBabe
Summary: Elliot and Olivia are both single parent and meet under different circumstances. They don't really get along at first. Will that change? Will it become more? kind of AU
1. Chapter 1

"Benson," she answered her phone.

"You're joking. Ill be there soon," she said already grabbing her keys and her jacket. She was currently on duty at the homicide unit and had a few more hours to her shift.

"Trying to skip out on us early?" Her partner asked referring to the fact she would be switching units in a few weeks. When she had heard there was opening in the special victims unit she jumped at the oppurtunity. She always wondered about joining the unit given the her mothers past. It was closer to her apartment which was another bonus. It seemed like the perfect fit. She had two weeks till she would be moving units.

"Wouldn't dream of it. Charlie got in a fight at school and I've got to meet the principal," she said with a sigh.

"Your Charlie? That's surprising," he said with a lift of his eyebrow. They had been partnered together for 2 years. He had met Charlie on a few occasions and knew it was out of character for the girl. He knew his partner had a bit of a hard time juggling everything and only hoped that this was a one off for her daughter.

"You're telling me. Tell the captain for me?"

* * *

When she got to the school she marched her way into the office. Charlie sat in a chair on one side of the principals door and a boy about her age sat on the other. Both looked less than pleased to be there, but the only difference between the two was that he was sporting a noticable black eye.

"Charlotte Benson, explain now," she said in what Charlie referred to as her 'cop voice'.

"Mom, don't call me Charlotte. You know I hate that. Do we have to talk about this here?" Charlie's voice was barely audible towards the end as she was obviously embarassed.

"Yes we do. You were in a fight?"

"I punched him. But I didn't start it!" She exclaimed as she swung her arms towards the boy.

"Miss Benson could we please talk in my office?"

She nodded and followed the principal inside.

"I've also called,Elliot, Richards father in hopes we can resolve this issue," the principal spoke.

Olivia nodded feeling a bit like she was also a child being told off.

When Richard's father arrived he wordlessly knelt in front of him examining his eye while Olivia and the principal watched from inside. The first thing Olivia noticed about him was his dominant presence. He had a certain stride to him and it was obvious he didn't lack confidence. He was handsome and muscular. As he admired his sons face she noticed his piercing blue eyes. She wasn't here for anything along those lines so she shoved those thoughts to the back of her mind.

"You alright?" He asked the boy. The boy wordlessly nodded.

"Good, you're grounded," he said before making his way into the office.

"As you already know your children were involved in a fight," the principal said as she closed the door to her office , leaving the children out of the conversation.

"What exactly happened?"

"From what the children have told me, Richard threw a snowball at Charlies face. He claims it was an accident but refused to apologize and then Charlotte punched him in the eye before she was shoved to the ground."

Olivia sighed as she listened to what had happened. She was disappointed in Charlie's actions and knew when left they would have to have a long talk.

Elliot's mind was reeling. On one hand he was upset that his son had pushed the girl but on the other his parental instincts were kicking in. His son had a black eye and the girl had caused it and had gotten away without a scratch on her.

"Both of your children are suspended for 3 days. I suggest you have a talk to your children about the right way to handle conflict," she said with a stern look.

Olivia nodded and cast her eyes to the floor. She wouldn't say she was lacking confidence but she worried from time to time about being a single mother. She tried to give Charlie the best of everything teach her right from wrong. The fact her 10 year old was in a fight felt like a bit of a blow.

"3 days, my son has a black eye," he said . Her head whipped to the side so fast she though her neck would break. Was he really suggested Charlie deserved harsher punishment? She could see on his face that he was ready for a fight.

"She was sticking up for herself. Don't forget the fact that your son pushed her as well," she said and he could see the fire in her eyes.

"She punched him in the face. I'd hardly say that's even," he said as he watched her body tense in annoyance. He hadn't meant to make her angry he was simply stating his opinion, but if she wanted to argue about it then he would.

"They both get 3 days. Now if you'll excuse me I have to be somewhere," the principal said ending any further discussion. Meanwhile, while they were in the principals office the kids sat outisde in silence. Charlie watched her feet while out of the corner of her eyes she could see Dickie continously touching at his eye.

"The more you touch it the more it will hurt," she said under her breath.

"It already hurts so what's the difference," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Sorry I punched you," she said under her breath. He looked over at her to see her looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Its ok. Sorry I hit you with that snowball and pushed you down."

She nodded before having the courage to look over at him fully. He gave her a soft smile and she returned it while tucking her long brown hair behind her ear. She knew Dickie from school but she wouldn't say that they were friends. She had always thought he was pretty cool though. Charlie was a major tomboy and would much prefer wearing mud than makeup.

"It was a good throw," she said.

"Thanks, you're really strong for a girl," he said as he turned in his seat to face her. When she had made the comment he got a proud smile.

"Where did you learn to aim like that?"

"Me and my dad used to play target practice with snowballs. You know hitting things like bottles and that from far away."

"Awesome," she said also turning in her seat.

"Yeah you should try it sometime."

They had quickly gotten over their previous disagreement and were chatting away until their parents came out of the office. They got quiet as they exited, knowing they were in trouble still. Charlie noticed her mom looked even more angry than when she went inside. She also noticed the death glare she was giving Dickie's dad as they silently stood and made their way down the hallway.

"Charlie will you apologize to Richard. Then we are going home," Olivia said taking the girls hand.

"Mom we already apologized, we are cool now. See ya later Dickie," she said waving with her free hand. He waved back and said a goodbye. The adults were glad for the resolution but also slightly confused as they departed.

* * *

"Charlotte, what were you thinking? Punching someone at school," Olivia scolded her once they were in the car.

"You're the one who taught me all those hand to hand moves to defend myself," the girl argued from the passenger seat as she placed her feet on the dashboard. Olivia smacked them down and gave her a glare, it was an action she was always telling her off for.

"Against an attacker not a 10 year old boy."

"Dickie is eleven ," she said under her breath knowing it wouldn't make a difference. She knew she was in a lot of trouble and there was nothing she could do about it. Olivia just sent her another glare.

"You are grounded for two weeks. No computer or TV privileges and no going anywhere other than school."

"Mooom," Charlie wailed. When Olivia gave her the 'cop look' she quickly sat back in her seat. She silently stared out the window for the rest of the ride. Once she sensed her mom had calmed down she smiled.

"It was a clean punch. I could've put him in a sleeper hold or something, he got off light," she said with a laugh. She knew her mom couldn't stay mad at her for very long. There was no way she could avoid being grounded but at least her mom would stop scolding her.

Olivia tried her best to keep a straight face as she looked at her laughing daughter. She was a spitting image of Olivia with her dark features. She had her father stature and stood tall above most girls her age. Olivia knew the dangers of the streets and had always taught her some basic self defense moves. She couldn't help herself and gave a light chuckle.

"I'll put you in a sleeper hold," she said as she wrapped her arm around her daughter's shoulders in and ruffled her hair. The girl laughed and straightened her hair out as she sat up in her seat.

"I am sorry mom," she said seriously.

"I know Charlie. I love you," she said giving her a soft smile. Charlie always had a way of knowing exactly how to read Olivia. Olivia always thought it was something she got from her father. He was always great at reading her mind and he always said the right thing at the right time. Charlie's father had died when she was two years old. He was also a police officer and had been shot while on duty. Olivia tried to keep his memory alive inside of her but it wasn't always easy with her being so young. She never had a chance to really know him but at least she could know what kind of person he was. She had a few photos of him around the apartment and had let Charlie keep the photo album with all of his photos. When she was younger Charlie would ask about her father often, since she had gotten older she rarely asks about him.

"I love you too mom."

* * *

"How long am I grounded for ?"

Dickie and Elliot hadn't said a single word to each other on the ride home. When they got to the house Dickie threw his bag on the couch before glancing at his father.

"Two weeks. You know the drill," he said. Unfortunately it wasn't the first time Dickie had been at trouble in school. He had never been suspended before only a detention here and there , but each time he had gotten grounded. Elliot knew he didn't take to academics like some kids so he couldn't be too hard on him for struggling. Dickie's problem was that he had a problem goofing off in class when he didn't understand something. He was the class clown and was paying the price for it. Elliot hadn't always been the most attentive student but he wanted more for his son. He saw so much of himself in Dickie and it scared him. He didn't consider himself a bad person but he didn't want Dickie to have the shortcoming that he possessed. It was easy for Elliot to let his anger get the best of him and he was very bull headed, but he always had good intentions, no matter how upside down things could turn out.

Dickie simply nodded.

"I can't believe that girl gave you a black eye," Elliot said with a shake of his head as he took in his appearance.

"Yeah, she is pretty cool."

Elliot laughed and made his way into the kitchen to make lunch for them.

"Dickie, it was wrong to push her, even if she punched you. You should never lay a hand on a lady," he said seriously. Dickie had followed him to the kitchen and sat on a stool across the bench top from him.

"I know. I'm sorry. I didn't even realize until after I did it, I swear," he explained to his father. He knew his father was stern but he also knew he had good intentions. There had been a few moments growing up that he saw his dad show his true feelings. His dad never brought it up but Dickie had overheard a conversation about his grandfather and the way he used to treat his dad. He was grateful to have Elliot and knew he struggled dealing with everything on his own.

"It's alright. Next time just take a deep breath before you react or just walk away."

Dickie nodded as he took the sandwich Elliot handed out to him.

"Charlie said her mom taught her how to fight. Her mom is a cop too," Dickie said with his mouth full of food.

"Who is Charlie?"

"The girl who punched me," Dickie said with a look that said 'duh'.

Elliot nodded as he thought back to the girl and her mother. The woman had been beautiful and he had noticed her tone muscles. She didn't look shy and she certainly didn't back down form an argument. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered the incredulous look she had given him. He had to admit he was slightly impressed at the fact she had taught her daughter to defend herself. He shook the thoughts from his head as he realized the path his thoughts were taking. He simply hummed an answer to his son as he listened to him continue on about the girl.

* * *

Ok so I didnt expect to be inspired to write again so soon buuut it just came to me

I think everyone can guess who she will end up being partnered with.

Anyways review and let me know what you think.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two weeks since the incident. Olivia had noticed that Charlie had been talking about Dickie much more frequently. The two were becoming quick friends at school. Dickie had also been talking more about Charlie Elliot. Both kids were finally finished with their punishment and had been excited to have more freedoms.

"You have to stay at Mrs. Hallin's today after school . Kelly is busy," Olivia said as her and Charlie walked to school. Normally Charlie stayed with a neighbor of theirs who was in her late 20's, Kelly. Kelly worked nights and loved Charlie's company so it worked out for them. Charlie liked going over there and always said it made her feel like a grown up. She hated going to Mrs Hallin's . Mrs. Hallin was a stay at home mom of three girls, all under the age of seven. Charlie was constantly complaining about the noise and how spoiled they were.

Charlie groaned.

"I know. I'm sorry. It won't be for long. I will be home on time today," Olivia said as she tightened Charlie's coat around her. They were now standing in front of the school.

"Yeah, Ok. Love you," Charlie said dejectedly before heading inside. Olivia gave her an 'I love you' before continuing on her way to work. It was one of the things she loved about the new unit already. She could walk Charlie to school every morning on her way to work. It was only an added bonus that there was a great coffee shop along the way as well.

When she got to her new precinct she made her way straight to her new captains office. She didn't bother taking a look around as she knocked on the door. After being given the signal she entered.

"You must be Olivia Benson, correct?"

"Yes sir," she said holding her hand out as he shook it.

"Don Cragen, welcome to special victims. I will introduce you to your new partner." He led her out of his office and over to a man with his back facing towards them.

"Elliot, come meet your new partner," the captain called over to the man. As soon as he turned around their eyes met. His face turned up into an amused smile as she shot daggers at him through her eyes.

"Elliot Stabler, meet Olivia Benson," he continued the introduction.

"We actually know each other cap' ," he said with a slight chuckle. She was now scowling at him. She couldn't believe this was happening. Just her luck that he would turn out to be her partner. Why did he think it was so funny anyways? Was he trying to embarrass her on her first day? She had to pull herself together, she couldn't do anything stupid in front of her new boss. Especially, when all she really wanted to do was smack that look off of his face.

Cragen turned to look at Olivia and saw the look on her face.

"Whatever issues you two have you had better work them out. I need to trust you to have each others back. Elliot show her around and then you two have a case," he said handing Elliot a slip of paper and heading back into his office.

"Isn't this a pleasant surprise," he said still sporting the amused smirk.

"Far from it actually," she replied. At that he let out a hearty laugh before showing her around the squad room.

* * *

"You are such a male," she said with a roll of her eyes as they got into his car.

"Because I think her story didn't add up?"

They had just left the victims house. She had called to report a rape that happened 2 nights ago. When Olivia had asked her why she waited to report it she had said she was scared. She knew her attacker and said they had met at the bar that night. He had offered to walk her home and forced his way into her apartment before raping her.

"No, because you just automatically assume she is lying. We haven't even talked to the guy yet."

"Well where do you think we are headed? I never said she was lying I said her story didn't add up, which is why we are going to talk to David Smith," he said reading from his notes. They had called in to the precinct and had one of the other detectives find an address for him.

She didn't respond and looked out the window for the rest of the ride.

* * *

"David Smith?" Olivia said as he answered his door.

"That's me," he said looking very confused.

"My name is detective Stabler, this is my partner Benson. Can we come inside?"

"Sure," he said opening the door further to let them inside.

"Where were you 2 nights ago?" Olivia had asked the question. Elliot sat back and let her take lead of the interrogation. He knew it should have been a pretty simple case. If they didn't get answers here then they would arrest him and do some more digging when they got to the precinct. He had been amused when he found out she would be his partner. He hadn't forgot her spitfire attitude and was almost giddy to see her in action. She obviously hadn't forgotten him either. She had been cold to him all day. He could understand her attitude and he was trying to ignore it but she was infuriating. As far as he could tell she was 10 percent beauty and 90 percent attitude. It was just his fortune that he got to be her target for the day.

"I went out with some buddies of mine," he said as they made their way inside and sat down in the living room.

"Did you leave with your friends?"

"No I went home with a girl. I left her place in the morning. What is this about ? Did I do something wrong?"

"The girl that you went home with is pressing charges against you for rape," Elliot said trying to gauge a reaction.

"Rape? I didn't rape her! She wanted more than just that one night! I didn't! I swear," he said as he stood up and began pacing the floor. He was running his hands down his face and looked like he might cry.

"Do you have any proof of that?"

He looked at them still shocked. It looked as if it took a minute to register what they meant.

"Umm, yeah. I do actually. She has been texting me. Wanting to meet up and saying what we had was special," he said quickly. He rushed to grab his phone as he brought up the texts.

Olivia and Elliot both read down the texts and it was pretty obvious that she had lied. They gave each other a knowing look as they excused themselves from the house, telling him the charges would be dropped.

"Go ahead you can say it," she said once they made it to the car.

"Say what?"

"You were right, I was wrong," she said refusing to look at him. She knew she was being childish but she couldn't get the school incident out of her mind.

"Olivia I am not going to gloat. It's your first day. As much as you think you know how these things go, they will keep surprising you. So let's focus on the fact that we got to the truth and leave it at that," he said a bit more curtly than he needed to. He couldn't help himself, his patience for her behavior was wearing thin.

"Sorry," she mumbled barely audible. He shook his head and couldn't help feeling slightly guilty. The rest of the ride was silent.

* * *

The rest of the day had been spent in the squad room. Olivia was so happy to be on her way home. She had tried to be nicer to Elliot but they hadn't said much to each other for the rest of the day. She pulled on her jacket and tightened it around her as she walked out into the snow. She couldn't wait to see Charlie. She hated having to spend so much time away from her but it wasn't always easy being a single parent. Charlie would be amused to hear that Dickie's father was her new partner, now that the two were becoming such good friends.

Elliot had started his drive home when he saw his partner walking down the street. It had started snowing and he knew she must be freezing. He pulled up to the curb and rolled down the window.

"Want a ride?"

She turned, a bit surprised to see him.

"Oh that's ok, thank you though," she said as she gave him a small smile. She didn't want him to going out of his way for her, especially after the way she had treated him.

"Come on, it's freezing outside," he saw her hesitate and continued," I'll even let you choose the radio station."

She couldn't help but laugh and she got in the car. The heat was a pleasant change from outside. She took him up on his offer and started scanning some radio stations while he smiled and shook his head. She pointed him in the direction of her apartment building before settling on a song.

"ACDC, nice choice," he said as he quietly sang along to the song. She didn't respond as she hummed the song and looked out the window and smiled. It might not be so bad being his partner.

* * *

"You'll never guess who my new partner is," Elliot said to Dickie as they sat down to dinner.

"I don't know dad," he said not that interested.

"Charlie's mother, Olivia."

Dickie's eyes shot up and he smiled.

"No way," he said excitedly. Elliot simply nodded, he knew Dickie would find the news amusing.

"This is perfect! Can Charlie can come over this weekend?"

"This weekend?"

"Yes! I have to go to Mom's soon, please?" Dickie was practically bouncing in his seat as he begged. Elliot knew Dickie wasn't all that thrilled to be going to his mothers for Christmas. He also knew that as Christmas got closer it wouldn't be the best time to have Charlie over.

"Ok, sure."

"Yes!"

* * *

Ok so I finally managed to update.

The next one will hopefully be a bit quicker.

So I hope you liked it =)


	3. Chapter 3

Charlie had spent the day with Elliot and Dickie that weekend. He had dropped her off at the door but hadn't gone in. He loved the smile Olivia got upon seeing her daughter. It had been a couple weeks since then and Christmas had come and went. Dickie had spent it with his mother. He tried not to let it get to him but he knew he was a grinch. Olivia had been great and tried to avoid anything having to do with the holidays after sensing his foul mood.

Their partnership had been going amazingly. After the first night, he had started giving her a ride home every night. He had offered to pick her up in the mornings but she had refused. She enjoyed walking Charlie to school every morning.

Olivia and Charlie had a great Christmas together. They opened presents in the morning and spent some quality time for the rest of the day. Charlie had told her that Dickie was with his mother for Christmas. She didn't bring it up but tried to do anything she could to help keep his mind off of it. She couldn't imagine spending the holiday without Charlie and knew he must be miserable. She knew the day Dickie returned when his mood changed considerably. She found it adorable that his sons absence effected him so much, even if she did have to put up with his grumpy behavior.

This morning was like any other. She had walked to work and dropped Charlie off at school. She was a little surprised to see that she had beaten Elliot to work. That wasn't something that usually happened.

A few minutes later he walked in carrying two coffees in his hand. He gave her a wide smile and placed one on her desk.

"Morning partner," he said.

"Morning," giving him a smile to match his. She would never say it out loud or admit it to herself, but his dimples drove her crazy. She hadn't been attracted to someone in a very long time and was a little surprised that he was able to get under her skin. She took a sip of her coffee and was surprised to find that it was exactly how she liked it.

"How did you know what kind of coffee I like?"

"I'm a detective. It's my job to pay attention to what my partner likes," he said taking a seat at his desk across from her. She felt slightly guilty that she didn't know how he took his coffee. She vowed right then to learn how he liked it.

"Dickie is really excited for this weekend," he said referring to the fact that Dickie would be going to Olivia's. He had promised to bring some of his new nerf guns he had gotten for Christmas.

"Good. It's all Charlie can talk about."

* * *

"Hi, come in," Olivia said opening the door for Elliot. He was at her apartment to pick up Dickie.

"Hi, how was your day?"

"Good, the kids had a lot of fun. Excuse the mess. Do you want some coffee?"

"Sure," he said as she made her way into the kitchen. It was the first time he had been to her apartment. It was simply decorated and had a lot of photos scattered around. He began looking around at all the photos and came upon one of a man he assumed to be Charlie's father with a baby Charlie in his arms.

"That's Charlie's dad," Olivia said as she handed him his coffee. He hadn't heard her behind him. He took the mug from her and nodded not wanting to seem nosy.

"Nice coffee," he commented.

"I'm a detective. It's my job to know what my partner likes," she said smiling as she mimicked his words from earlier in the week. He laughed and continued to drink still glancing at the photo. He wondered where the man was. He had noticed that the man was also in a few other photos with a younger Olivia.

"He died," she said simply. She could see his 'detective face' as he stared at the photo trying to put the pieces together.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"It's ok. It was a long time ago," she said as she admired the picture.

"What happened?"

"Daniel was on the force. A take down went wrong. He took two bullets to the chest. He was already gone by the time I made it to the hospital," she said with emotion in her voice. He watched her face and rubbed the top of her arm as she cast her eyes to the ground.

"I'm really sorry," he said knowing that the words weren't enough. After learning what had happened he felt like he understood her a little more. She was always putting up a rough exterior and it had taken a lot of work to break through that exterior. She had never been as open with him as she was being right now. He felt both privileged and unworthy of such a sight. She looked vulnerable and he could probably count on one hand the amount of people she had let see this side of her. He wanted to gather her into a hug but knew better of it. She took a deep breath and in an instant her strong facade was back.

"Me and Charlie do alright on our own. I only wish she had gotten to know him," she said as they made their way to the sofa. She wasn't sure why she was opening up to him so much.

"She will know him through you ," he said.

"I hope so."

It was quiet for a few moments as both of them weren't sure what to say.

"Dickie spent this Christmas with his mother," Elliot said. She had opened up to him in the last few moments and he felt he should share with her.

"I know," she said. His eyes were on hers in an instant. How did she know that ?

"Dickie told Charlie and Charlie told me. I didn't think it was my place to bring it up," she explained once she saw his face. He nodded. So that's why she was so great during that time. She had never let on that she knew or got angry when he was in particularly bad mood.

"Kathy and I seperated not long after Dickie was born," he explained.

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. She wasn't going to push him to share his story but she would be lying if she said she wasn't curious. She had met a lot men and he spiked an interest in her that she couldn't explain.

"It's alright, it was for the best. After she had Dickie she had postpartum depression. I did everything I could to try to help. We went to counseling together and things were slowly getting better. I come home from work one day and she tells me she is leaving me. Dickie stayed with me and he goes to stay with her every now and again," he finished feeling slightly nervous but also relieved.

"Its tough doing it all alone sometimes," she said casually.

"You can say that again. So what did you three do today?" He was begining to relax around her after their heavy conversation.

"Charlie and Dickie played some video games. They tried out the new nerf guns and then in the afternoon we went out for ice cream," she smiled remembering the excitement they had for ice cream.

They continued to talk, both losing track of time . Elliot and Dickie hadn't left the house until nearly 9 o'clock at night. Later as Olivia laid in bed she let her mind wander to Elliot as she fell asleep with a smile on her face.

* * *

I am not particularly in love with this chapter

I started the next couple ones though and they are going ...much more happy with those ones

i have amazing reviewers so keep em coming!


	4. Chapter 4

"Guess what we got at school today," Dickie said as they sat at the dinner table. Dickie had a smile like the chesire cat.

"What?"

"Report cards," Dickie said getting up and running to his backpack. Elliot couldn't be more confused. Dickie was never excited to show him his report card. He would normally avoid the subject all together because his grades were never that great. Elliot pushed him to do better but tried not to get angry, he had gone through that with his father and didn't want that for Dickie.

When Dickie returned he handed the paper to Elliot and smilied as he watched him scan it. Elliot's face split into a smile but his eyes still held questions.

"Is this really yours?"

Dickie nodded.

"Charlie has been helping me at school. I wanted to surprise you," he said shyly.

Elliot pulled him in for a hug.

"I'm so proud of you," he said pulling back and sticking the paper to the refridgerator.

"Thanks dad," he said as they sat down to finish their meal.

"Dickie, I know you and charlie are good friends right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Do you like her as anything more than a friend?" He felt incredibly awkward breaching this subject with his son. He didn't want to emabarass him but he also needed to know where he stood.

"Eww, dad. Charlie is my best friend," he said as if his father was crazy. Elliot felt a bit ridiculous but also relieved, he wasn't ready to deal with Dickie having a crush yet. He selfishly wanted him to stay his little boy forever.

* * *

"Did you know that Charlie was helping Dickie at his school work?" He asked his partner the next day .

She looked up confused.

"No,why?"

"He brought his report card home yesterday. His grades were better than they have ever been before,"he said as he smiled at the memory.

"That's great El," the nickname rolling off of her tongue. She was slightly embarassed and hoped he didn't notice it. She was proud to hear what Charlie had done. Charlie had taken to academics much easier than Olivia did when she was her age.

"Yeah we are going to play lazer tag this weekend, to celebrate. If you aren't busy you and Charlie should join us. My treat," he said giving her a dimpled smile.

"Sounds great,"she said as he gave her the details.

* * *

Elliot had picked her and Charlie up from her apartment. They were in the car and Elliot couldn't stop stealing glances at Olivia. She was dressed more casual than she did for work. The way her jeans hugged her hips was enough to drive him mad. A car horn from behind him forced him to switch his focus to driving.

When they got the venue the kids had shot out of the car. He shared a knowing look with Olivia as they followed. When they got inside they were given their gear, which included vests, guns, and safety glasses.

They sat through a 10 minutes introduction of do and don'ts before they were finally allowed to play. That's when the trash talk began. They had already decided to go boys vs girls before they even got there.

"You're going down," Dickie said as they went in.

"You wish, Richard," Charlie stuck her tongue out as she used the name she knew he hated.

"What do you say we make this interesting? Loser buys dinner," Elliot suggested.

"You got a deal. You're gonna regret this," Olivia accepted accepted.

"I don't think so. We are gonna cream you."

"I find it so cute how delusional you are," she said as she put her glasses on and entered the dark room. Charlie threw a cheeky smile at Dickie as she followed her mother. Elliot was having fun already. His partner was sassy and knew she would put up a hell of a challenge. He bumped fists with Dickie before they followed the girls inside.

"Ok Charlie, here is the plan. We stay back to back, take our time, and take them down," she said as they huddled quickly. She had used her police training to her advantage. Charlie nodded and they got into positions. They walked back to back and kept their eyes peeled for the boys. They made an effort to stay hidden behind the different obstacles but the fog machines had made spotting the boys even harder.

What the girls didn't know was that the guys had a similar strategy. Elliot and dickie were also walking back to back and searching for the girls while trying to remain unseen. Suddenly deep in the fog Dickie spotted the girls. He slapped his fathers arm and pointed towards the girls. They didn't have a clear shot at the girls vests so they would have to get closer. Elliot nodded and pointed to an obstacle that would put them right in front of the girls. They kept their eyes on them as they slowly made their way to it.

"You aim for Charlie and I'll get Olivia," Elliot whispered to Dickie. The boy nodded enthusiasticly.

"On the count of three," he said as they were ducked down. He held up one finger, then two, and finally three. They both jumped up and shot towards the girls, Dickie even let out a war cry for added effect. They were a little more than surprised when, instead of them shooting the girls vests, the girls had shot theirs. The girls stood with their guns still pointed at them, both sporting victorious smiles.

"We win!" Charlie said running over to Dickie, who was still recovering from the shock. He looked at her dejectedly but then smiled.

"That was so cool," he said as they ran off to start a new game.

"That was clever," Elliot said as they exited the dark room, leaving the children to play a few games on their own.

"Thanks, we saw you two coming a mile away," she said with a laugh. He shook his head and smiled.

"Guess I'm buying dinner."

"Guess so," she said as they both began taking off their gear. The kids were already starting their second game. They made their way to a small table and sat while the kids played. They made small talk and ended up talking about one of the cases they were working on. Olivia shivered, having left her heavy jacket in the car. The weather had been getting warmer and she had gotten hot during the ride. Elliot unzipped his hoodie and passed it to her. She smiled at him gratefully,

"Thanks," she said putting it on. He had given it to her somewhat selfishly. He knew she would look adorable as it was huge on her. He also knew that it would smell just like her after he got it back.

After the kids had played a few more games. They made their way to Elliot's, picking up some pizza on the way.

Dickie had carried it in as he ran up the front steps to Elliot's house with Charlie close behind. When the adults got inside she took off Elliot's hoodie that she was still wearing.

"Want anything to drink? I've got beer,water, juice, and I'm sure I have some wine if you prefer," he said making his way to the kitchen.

"Wine sounds nice," she anwered as she took in her surroundings. It wasn't a huge house but it was plenty of space for the two boys. She smiled at the fact that it looked like a bit of a bachelor pad. He had a large TV with several game concoles. He had a large leather couch and she could see a skateboard in the corner of the room. There were a few photos of Dickie at varying ages on the wall.

He enetered the room and handed her the glass of wine. Dickie and Charlie had already tore into the pizza as they sat at the table. The adults joined them and listened on as they talked about the day. As soon as they finished eating they ran to the backyard and went straight to the trampoline. His backyard wasn't large and the trampoline took up half of it. They finished eating and made their way to the couch. She could see the kids on the trampoline and smiled.

"Who would have thought that those two would end up being best friends," she said.

"They are inseperable," he said as he watched her face as she watched them.

"Who would have thought we would be such great partners after our first day," he continued.

"Eh, you're alright," she said laughing loudly and throwing her head back at his incredulous look. He loved her laugh. The last date he had been on was when Dickie was six. He had been attracted to a few women since then but none enough to take it any further. Olivia was different, she was always on his mind. He loved her playful banter and her no nonsense attitude. He trusted her to have his back in the feild. She was beyond beautiful and the thought of her writhing beneath him made his dick twitch. It wasn't just physical attraction though, he had learned how to control those desires. When Dickie would return home after being at her place he would rave on about everything she did. It seemed his son could even see how great she was. He wasn't sure if he would ever tell her these things. Sure they had flirted, but they were partners and it was against the rules. He wasn't sure he was willing to risk such an amazing friendship with her if she didn't feel the same.

"And to think, I actually like being your partner," he said still playing along.

"You're a great partner, El," she said seriously, unable to stop the nickname yet again. She didn't miss the proud smile he got when she said it.

* * *

Ok so here is number 4

hope you guys like it

5 should be up tommorrow!


	5. Chapter 5

Spring was quickly approaching. Elliot and Olivia had been partners for nearly 4 months now. Cragen was already started calling them his dream team. Olivia was brilliant at talking to victims and children took to her right away. Elliot brought the strength and intimidation, perps were too scared to cross him.

Olivia had the day all to herself as Charlie had gone to spend the day with Dickie yet again. It was late morning and she was still in bed. She let her mind wander to her beautiful partner, it was happening much more frequently. She blamed him. Why did he have to be incredibly good looking? He screamed sex without even realizing. She had never had so little control over her feelings. She had dated a couple of men since Charlie's father had past. It never turned into anything serious, not that she tried particularly hard to make it work. All of the men had been nice enough but she used to tell herself she would never love anyone like Daniel. It was such a contradiction that she was falling for her partner.

They had flirted sometimes, that was normal for two single adults right ? She tried to rationalize that it was just because they spent so much time together, but he consumed her thoughts. The time spent together with the kids only fueled her feelings. He was protective yet gentler than she had ever seen him when he was with his son. He was great to Charlie and treated her like his own. If he and Dickie had plans he would always see if she would be interested in tagging along. He was kind, funny, a great father and a damn good detective. She wasn't sure but she could swear he felt similar to her. They had always been professional but it seemed he looked for excuses to touch her. She couldn't stop her hand from making its way down her taut stomach as she thought of one particular memory.

* * *

_They were on surveillance and had to pull an all nighter. Neither were that thrilled about it. They both wanted to go home to their kids. They had already been stuck in the car for 4 hours and still had 5 to go. In the first 2 hours they had run out things to talk about .It had been a waste of time scanning the radio when nothing good came on. Elliot had just got back from making a coffee run after sensing her irritation._

_"Your are a god," she moaned as she sucked down the caffinated beverage._

_He laughed at her childish antics. The drink didn't hold her attention long enough and she soon finished it. She groaned in frustration and leaned her head against the dash board. He stretched his arm across and kneaded the muscles in her neck._

_"I'm sorry, Liv. I wish we didn't have to be here, " he said using the nickname for the first time. She had started calling him 'El' more and more frequently and he had loved it. _

_She had melted at his touch and felt the familiar ache between her legs. He had no way of knowing that was one of her weak spots . It turned her on so much whenever anyone touched her neck. She had been surprised at how gentle his touch was despite his rough hands. In the last couple of weeks her attraction to him had gone into overdrive. He would lean over her shoulder to read a file and she would feel his hot breath on her would watch the say of his hips when he left the room. She was beyond sexually frutrated. Her eyes rolled back under her closed lids as he continued his ministrations. She couldn't stop the barely audible moan that escaped her throat. Her eyes shot open and she realized what was happening._

_"I am gonna go stretch my legs for a bit," she announced leaving the car._

_He had heard her moan. The throaty sound had went straight to his groin. That combined with the fact he was just touching the soft skin of her neck had him questioning if he was in a dream. She hadn't slapped him when he touched her, which was a good sign. That sound would forever be playing in his head, though._

* * *

She rubbed two fingers along her folds as she thought of his mouth being where his hand had been. The memory had her wet and ready. She slipped two fingers inside of herself as she thought of being pinned to his rock hard body. He would hold her body to his as if she weighed nothing . She could tell just by looking at him he would be big. She bit her lips as she breathed hard through her nose. Her legs bent at the knee as she quickened the pace of her fingers. She brought her free hand to her breast and began to play with her nipple. She wished to feel his rough hands all over her body. She could imagine him whispering in her ear as he pounded into. He would hold her hips possesively and plant kisses down her body. He would reach between their bodies with increible timing and rub a thumb over her clit causing her to fall apart. He could have her anyway he wanted her, hard, soft, fast, slow, she didn't care.

Her mouth fell open as she teased her clit. She rubbed fast circles over the bundle of nerves as she felt the pressure rising. She could imagine looking into those incredible blue eyes and him showing off those dimples. She would be clawing at his hard muscles, begging him to make her cum. He would feel safe and dangerous all at the same. He would be cocky, knowing exactly what he was doing to her body and taking it as a large ego boost. She could imagine feeling him pulse inside of her as he released his seed, slowing his pace as they both rode out their orgasm.

"Mmm El," she moaned as she came around her own fingers. She lay there a moment coming down from her release. After she realized what she had just done she felt slightly embarassed, but mostly relieved. She got up and made her way to the shower trying to shake the incident.

* * *

Later that evening Elliot knocked on her door. When she answered he couldn't help his smile. She returned it and tired to hide the slight blush that crept up her cheeks when she thought back to the mornings events. He thought it was unusual but shook it off as they made their way inside. It had become a bit of habit that they would hang out whenever they were dropping the kids off. She would bring Dickie home and he would have a pot of coffee waiting. He would come to drop Charlie home and she would have rented a movie for them all to watch or a board game. He longed for these small moments. If he was lucky the kids would take spots on the couch that forced him to sit close to her. He would get a whiff of her shampoo and it would stay with him all night.

The two had been dancing around their attraction and he knew why. They had other people to think about before doing anything impulsive. Hanging out was one thing, but he didn't know how Dickie would handle it if he started dating anyone. He wasn't even sure Olivia was interested in dating. He wasn't willing to ruin what they had on a hunch. He was happy with what they had at the moment. He was her partner and he couldn't ask for a better one. Ignoring the fact she was drop dead gorgeous.

* * *

_They were chasing down a lead that had led them to a junk yard. It had a high fence and the gate was locked. They didn't have any bolt cutters to break the lock. They had a search warrant for the property but now they were faced with the issue of getting in._

_"I can call one of the guys to bring the bolt cutters," he suggested as she was still examining the high fence._

_"No, we don't need to," she said. She walked to stand in front of him and swatted at him to put his phone away. He gave her an inquistive look._

_"You gonna do that bewitched thing ,wiggle your nose to get us in?" As he said it he tapped his finger on her nose. She laughed and smacked his chest, an action she did frequently._

_"No, you're gonna lift me over," she stated._

_"Say please," he said jokingly. She laughed. And they walked over to the fence._

_She stood facing it and he placed his hands on her waist. He gripped her love handles and hoisted her up over his head. She was weightless in his arms. She grabbed the top of the fence and he shifted his hands to her feet gracefully. He couldn't help but sneak a peek at her ass that was hovering above his head. He smiled at the site as she disappeared over the other side of the fence. As she found something to break the lock he revelled in the way her body felt in his hands._

* * *

He had went home that night and had a cold shower. It wasn't enough though, the image was forever in his head. He had felt the tone muscles of her stomach and could only imagine how smooth her skin was. Her thighs and legs were just as musular as he had slid his hands down them. He could have swore he felt her shiver at his touch. He could only imagine how those legs would feel wrapped around him.

"Hey guys, did you have fun?" Olivias voice brought him back to reality as she talked to the kids.

"Yes," Charlie said as she hugged her mother. Olivia hugged Dickie next as they chatted about the day. He had taken Charlie and Dickie to the batting cages. Dickie had been a bit upset when Charlie was doing better than him. He couldn't help but feel proud as he helped them adjust their grip on the bat and watched them hit one ball after another.

"Mom can we play some video games before Dickie goes home?"

"Yeah sure," she replied as she ruffled their hair. They went running off to Charlie's room. Elliot stood smiling at her.

"Coffee?" She was already making her way to the kitchen, knowing his answer.

"Want to watch a movie?" She asked as she started the coffee pot.

"That sounds nice. As long as it isn't Dirty Dancing again," he said grabbing two coffee mugs and standing next to her. She laughed and smacked him in the chest with the tea towel she had grabbed. She immediately regretted the action when he hissed at the contact to the fresh bruise.

"I'm sorry," she said quickly as her hand flew out to smooth over the spot she had just hit. He grabbed her hand and stopped its action. He could see the guilt in her eyes.

"Its ok," he said knowing she was still emotional about the incident.

* * *

_They were chasing a perp. Elliot was ahead of her as he followed their guy around a building. She knew she couldn't catch up so had decided to go a different route hoping to catch him when he came around the other side._

_Elliot had seen Olivia take off the other direction and knew what her plan was. He followed the guy around the corner and didn't expect to be stopped dead in his tracks. He was on the ground in an instant and looking up at their perp holding a 2x4. He couldn't catch his breath and was helpless as their perp stood over him. He must have looked like a goldfish as he tried to suck in air._

_Olivia had been waiting around the corner knowing they should be coming her way soon. After a few moments she wondered why they weren't coming. Maybe Elliot had caught up with him. She made her way slowly around the building and got a rush of adrenaline when she saw Elliot on the ground and the man standing over him with a board in his hand. She ran and pushed the man into the dumpster nearby before skillfully cuffing him to it. She made her way over to Elliot who was starting to sit up._

_"Are you ok?" She asked helping him up._

_He nodded as he fought the blinding pain in his chest. She had both hands on his face as she examined him. He saw her trying to fight tears and he smoothed a hand over her used all her strength to help him to his feet. She had her hands on his shoulders as her eyes were glued to his. If he wasn't in so much pain he would have revelled in the contact._

_"I'm ok. Just winded me," he said hoarsely._

* * *

She had seen the bruise that stretched across his chest later that day and it broke her heart. That was when she knew she had really fallen for him. She couldn't stand the thought of him ever being hurt. He had become such a large part of her life. His company made her happier than she had been n a long time. She looked forward to seeing his smile when she walked into work in the morning. She swallowed the feelings that had resurfaced and finished making their coffees. They settled down for their movie and she caught him smilling at her out of the corner of her eye as she sat next to him. He stretched his arm around the back of the sofa and rested his hand on her shoulder. She smiled never taking her eyes off the screen. It was the first time he had done it. He held his breath expecting her to give him a look that said 'what the hell are you doing'. He saw her smile and felt giddy.

Halfway through the movie Olivia's head settled on his arm and he saw that she was asleep. He smiled and pushed a piece of hair from her face. He glaced behind him to make sure the kids were still in the room before he planted a light kiss on top of her head.

* * *

Excuse any grammatical errors pls

hope u liked it

review pls


	6. Chapter 6

"Hello?" Olivia answered the phone groggy from sleep. She glanced at the clock and saw that it was past midnight. It was very rare that she was called out on a case this late but she couldn't imagine who else it would be.

"Olivia?" Just like that Olivia was awake.

"Dickie? What's wrong?"

"Can you come get me?" She knew he was at his mother's for the weekend. He had complained to her and Charlie that he didn't want to go. She didn't ask why, deciding it wasn't her business.

"Where are you?"

"I'm at a gas station down the road from my mom's house," he said.

"Ok, I want you to get the address from the person at the counter. Then go inside and don't move until I get there," she instrutcted. Her first priority was to get him to safety before asking any questions. She reluctantly hung up and called a taxi. After waking up Charlie they made their way to get him.

When the car pulled into the gas station she ran inside, still wearing her pajamas. A bleary eyed Charlie followed. She spotted Dickie sitting on the floor half asleep. She ran to him and looked him up and down for any injuries before pulling him into a hug. He hugged her back and sighed with relief. They walked to the taxi and piled in, she gave Elliot's address as Charlie already started to fall asleep.

"What happened?" She said with an arm around Dickie. She was happy to have him safely in her arms.

"My moms boyfriend came over. He is a total jerk. I called him an asshole and he got really mad. He started yelling at me and then I yelled at him. Mom didn't do anything, she just sent me to my room," he explained. He couldn't help the tears that started falling.

"I was too mad to sleep. I could hear them talking and kissing and stuff. She wasn't even mad at him. So I got my stuff and ran away. I didn't know what to do so I called you," he finished.

"Did you call your dad?"

"No, I knew he would be mad."

"Ok, you can't do anything like this ever again. I know you were mad but what you did was extremely dangerous," she scolded softly.

"Are you mad at me?"

"I am upset at you actions. I'm not mad at you. We have to call your dad," she explained as he cuddled into her side. She kissed the top of his head. The two had become quite close since he and Charlie had started spending so much time together. She was happy that he trusted her.

"He is gonna be so mad at me," he said into her side.

"He won't I promise. He will just be happy that you are ok," he looked less than pleased but nodded anyways. She dialed Elliot's number and told him that she was coming to his place. He was thoroughly confused when Olivia wouldn't elaborate, telling him she would explain when she got there.

* * *

When they arrived at Elliot's both kids had been asleep against her. She woke them up and Elliot was waiting at the door for them. When he saw Dickie he looked worried. He pulled his son into a hug and gave Olivia a thankful look. Charlie made her way straight to the couch and went straight to sleep, not too happy with the nights escapade. After breaking the embrace Elliot led Dickie to the dining room table. Olivia went to the kitchen to make herself a cup of coffee, giving the pair a moment.

"What happened, Dickie?"

Elliot sat and listened as Dickie relayed the story to him. He was upset that he hadn't called him and so thankful that Olivia had gotten him home safe. Dickie sat anxiously after finishing waiting to see his father's reaction.

"Why didn't you call me?"

"I knew you would be mad. You try so hard to help me and mom get along," Dickie said not taking his eyes off the table. Elliot was slightly hurt that he had gone to Olivia but was happy that he could trust her. So many things could have happened to him. He hadn't expected the night to turn out like this at all.

"I'm mad that you ran away and you will be grounded. I am just happy that you are safe. I am sorry I push you so hard to get along with your mother. I just don't want you to regret anything when you get older," Elliot said as he came around the table and hugged Dickie. Dickie began to cry again as he hugged his father tight. Elliot couldn't help the few tears that fell as he pulled back from the embrace.

"Its late. Go get some sleep. We will talk about your punishment tomorrow," Elliot said. Dickie nodded and went to his room.

He turned to see Olivia standing in the kitchen. She handed him a hot cup of coffee.

"I have to go call Kathy," he said going into the bedroom for some privacy.

Kathy hadn't known Dickie was gone. Elliot had tried to remain calm but couldn't contain all of his anger. She had apologized multiple times. Elliot couldn't understand how she could have put her boyfriend before her son. When he got off the phone he took a few minutes to calm down before making his way back to Olivia.

He found her sitting at the table still sipping her coffee. She gave him a soft smile as he stood beside the table. He wasn't sure what to say and stood there silently.

"So this is the trick you use to lure woman over in the middle of the night," she joked trying to lighten the mood. He laughed and shook his head.

"Only the beautiful ones," the words falling from his mouth before he could think. He didn't miss how cute she looked in her pajamas. It was obviously she left in a hurry as her hair was still messy with sleep.

She blushed and avoided eye contact. It was one of the first times they had acknowledged their attraction to each other.

"Thank you for everything you did tonight," he said changing the subject.

"Its fine. You would have done the same."

"You're welcome to spend the rest of the night here. If you're uncomfortable with that I can drive you home," he said awkwardly.

"No that's great," she said already making her way to the couch that Charlie was asleep on.

"You and Charlie can have my bed," he said before she reached her destination.

"The couch is fine."

"There is no way you two will fit and I am not taking no for an answer," he said as he lifted Charlie into his arms. She followed as he carried her to his room and placed her on the bed. She hadn't even stirred. Olivia had never been in his room before, it felt oddly intimate. It was tidier than she expected and decorated in dark colors. The room smelled of him and felt of his presence. She stood near the doorway as he had laid her daughter down. When he turned around their eyes met. He surprised her when he gathered her into a hug.

"Thank you, for being someone that Dickie can trust," he said lowly. She let herself sink into the embrace. He was warm and strong and she could die happily in this moment.

He reluctantly pulled back from the embrace, having enjoyed the feeling of her in his arms. He whispered a goodnight before making his way to the couch. It took her a minute to recover but she got into bed. Elliots bed. She was laying in Elliot's bed. It wasn't how she had imagined her first time in his bed would be. He was upposed to be with her. She rolled her eyes at the thought and snuggled up to her daughter. She loved cuddling up to her little girl. She laid there for awhile breathing in Elliot's scent. She could smell him on the pillow and it was incredibly comforting. She soon drifted off with a feeling of security and happiness.

Elliot laid restlessly on his couch, he couldn't get his mind off of the fact that the woman he was falling for was in his bed. If the kids weren't in the house he would throw caution to the wind and join her. That wasn't going to happen, obviously. So instead he would look forward to his pillow smelling just like her. He never wanted to wash his sheets again. Eventually he was able to relax enough to fall asleep.

* * *

The next morning woke up before Charlie. She waited for a minute and realized she didn't hear any movement. She quietly padded to the kitchen and put on a pot of coffee. As it brewed she couldn't help but sneak a glance at Elliot. He looked so adorable sleeping on the couch. He was too large for it , his feet hanging off of one side. She had never seen him look so peaceful. It was something she wouldn't mind waking up to everyday. When Elliot began to stir she turned and went back to making the coffee. She ran her fingers through her hair, trying to smooth out any bumps before he could see her.

When Elliot woke up the first thing he noticed was Olivia in his kitchen. A large smile graced his face. He threw the blanket off of him and stretched, forgetting the fact he had discarded his t-shirt in the middle of the night. When he made his way over to her she swallowed hard before smiling at him. It took all the strength she had no to stare at his chest. It took even more strength not to reach out and run her fingers over every defined muscle. Every man she had been with was never as physically fit as him. She would have never said muscles were one of her turn ons, it had never particularly mattered. On Elliot though, they were an extreme turn on. He must have noticed because he apologized and went to put his t-shirt on, much to Olivia's disappointment.

"What do you want for breakfast?"

"Oh I don't mind getting something at home," she said as he returned to the kitchen.

"It's the least I can do. How do omelets sound?"

"Great," She took a seat at one of the stools along the bench and she watched him go to work. It had been awhile since she had someone make her breakfast. Every now and then he would glance up at her and smile, unaware that Olivia was looking forward to each one. She wished this morning wouldn't end . Sometime in the middle of cooking both the kids had woken up and joined her at the bench. One by one he made them each breakfast. When he finished they all ate while making small talk. Both adults would occasionally make eye contact , neither knowing that they both wished this could be a regular thing.

* * *

Don't love the last bit but I wanted to give you guys an update before i went to work

so the other night I had a dream I was Olivia and I was in Europe and Elliot was in the US and there was a zombie apocalypse SO I was really worried about him but then he comes over to Europe and then we fight zombies and try to survive together. I t was great haha

anyways pls forgive any grammatical errors and spelling as I have to be to work in 10 minutes haha!


	7. Chapter 7

It was June now, more time had passed and more feelings had developed. The kids were still best friends. Dickie, Elliot and Kathy all sat down and worked through their issues. For the time being they agreed that Dickie would cut his visits back but Kathy would come have dinner with them every couple weeks. Dickie had been excited over the new arrangement, which in turn made the adults happy. Elliot and Olivia still spent a lot of time together, it only seemed to make them fall harder for each other.

Olivia had nearly revealed her feelings on more than one occasion. Each time she would chicken out and they would go right back to how they were before. Sometimes she wondered if he even had feelings for her. His actions and her gut screamed that he did, but the fact he hadn't made any advances had her questioning herself. If he did have feelings for her then he was a saint because she had been painfully obvious in the last week. Touching his arm when she laughed, giving him a cheeky wink every now and then, showing a bit more cleavage at work. She wanted him to make a move.

Elliot hadn't missed the fact she had been more flirty recently. It took everything in him not to slam his mouth to hers sometimes. He had thought of just telling her on a few occasions. Each time he could only imagine her never wanting to see him again. These last few days had him changing his mind. She was being more forward and it was incredibly sexy.

"Morning partner," she said as she leaned over his shoulder and dropped a coffee on his desk. He inhaled her scent and didn't miss the fact that her chest grazed his shoulder just the slightest.

"Morning"

"Benson, Stabler! A woman reported a kidnapping. She sent their 5 year old daughter with her father, Howard Clark, for the weekend and was meant to be getting her back today. She can't get in contact with him. I need you guys to go check it out," Cragen said handing them the slip of paper with the address. They nodded before they made their way out. Elliot let his fingertips linger on her lower back, a new habit he had picked up in the last couple weeks.

* * *

When they got to the apartment they knocked on the door . There was no answer but just as they turned to leave they heard a young girls cry. They exchanged a knowing look.

"Mr. Clark if you're in there you need to answer the door. We are the police," there was no response," if you don't answer the door I will be forced to kick it open," Elliot yelled. After waiting for a response that never came Elliot raised his leg and kicked the door open. They had their guns drawn as they searched the apartment. When olivia reached the back bedroom she found Mr. Clark holding his daughter against his chest with a knife held near her neck. Olivia immediately lowered her gun and motioned for Elliot to call for back up. After radioing he made his way into the room slowly.

"Mr Clark you don't want to do this. Put the knife down," Olivia said in a calm, steady voice as she watched the girl face.

"Oh shut up, you don't know me. You don't know what I want to do. This is exactly what I want to do," the man said as he waved the knife in front of the girls face. It was obvious he had been crying and wasn't emotionally stable.

"Why do you want to do this?"

"Why not? I've got nothing else left."

"You have your daughter. You're just upset right now. You're scaring her very much. Why don't you let her go and we can talk about this ok?" Olivia inched closer to him as she spoke. Elliot watched the man closely as Olivia got closer. He wasn't comfortable with the idea of her getting any closer, but he knew her intincts were almost never wrong. He had his weapon drawn and was ready to take a shot whenever neccesary.

As Olivia got within arms reach the girl was trying her hardest to get to her. Mr. Clark was now sobbing and was slowly losing his grip on the girl. Olivia gave Elliot a glance as she grabbed the girl from his arms and pushed her in the direction of Elliot. Elliot made sure the girl was safely behind him. Before Olivia could take a step back she was pulled into the mans chest and he had the knife pressed against her neck. Elliot wasn't able to get a clean shot as Howard had pulled Olivia in.

"Sweetie, I need you to go to the front door and wait for the other police officers," he told the girl, never taking his eyes off of Olivia. She looked terrified but calm, sending him a silent plea to get her out alive. He was barely holding it together inside. He almsot couldn't handle looking at her, not when he wasn't sure if he could get them out of this.

"Mr. Clark drop the knife," he said sternly.

"You're just like her. You're just here to rip everything I have away from me," he said angrily into Olivia's ear ignoring Elliot all together.

"I'm not Mr. Clark. I am only here to make sure your daughter got hime safe," she said. To anyone else she sounded calm but Elliot heard the small shake in her voice.

"Yeah, that's what my wife said when she took her away from me. She said she didn't feel safe around me. How's this for safe?"

"Mr. Clark drop the knife. This needs to end now," Elliot could hear the sirens of the other units arriving as he spoke. Mr. Clark pressed the knife harder into Olivia's neck, enough to draw blood. He saw her wince as the small droplet ran down her neck. He swallowed back his emotions as his eyes glassed over, trying to hold back tears.

"Mr. Clark drop the knife or I will shoot," Elliot's voice boomed once again. Then with lightning speed, before Elliot had a chance to pull the trigger, Howard swept the blade across Olivia's neck before bringing it up and cutting his own.

Elliot was by her side immediately. Her hands were holding her neck as the blood poured out. He was amazed at how fast it was coming out. He ripped his button down shirt off his back, balled it up and pressed it to her neck. He yelled into his radio for an ambulance before he looked into her eyes. Her eyes were glassy with tears as she stared up at him helplessly. He smoothed one hand over her hair as he let a few tears fall.

"It's ok. The ambulance is on their way. You'll be ok," he whispered more for his reassurance than hers.

"Charlie," she whispered.

"I will handle everything. Don't worry. Let's just get you patched up first."

* * *

It didn't take long for the ambulance to arrive. When they did they pronounced Mr. Clark dead on the scene and carted Olivia off to the hospital. By the time she was allowed to leave the hospital it was nearly 4 o'clock. After they examined her neck they realized all she needed was some stitches. She had lost a lot of blood but not enough for a transfusion. It would be sore and tender, so some aspirin would be necessary. She was told to come back in a couple weeks to get the stitches out and sent on her way.

When she walked into the waiting room she saw Elliot slumped over in a chair with his elbows on his knees. He had rode in the ambulance with her but wasn't allowed in the back with her. She had assumed he had gone home.

"You're still here?"

He looked up when she spoke and released a deep breath. Before she knew what was happening he was on his feet and she was in his arms. She couldn't help the tears that fell after the days events. She hadn't had a chance to really embrace the fact that she could have died today. All the stress of the day melted away as she cried into his shoulder. She didn't miss the wet droplets she felt on her head as he cried silently into her hair. After a few minutes she calmed down and pulled back from the embrace. He swiped his thumb under her eye.

"I am so sorry," he said quietly.

"El, no. I was so stupid today. I should have never gotten so close to him," she said as she took his face into her hands.

"I almost lost you today," he said as he rested his forehead on hers. It was the most intimate contact the two had ever had.

"You didnt. I am right here."

"I don't know what I would do without you in my life," he said as his stare moved from her lips to her eyes. She didn't say anything, her breathing became heavy as their mouths inched closer and closer together. Finally their lips met in an emotional kiss. It was simple, with her top lip being captured between both of his. It lasted a few earth shattering seconds before it was over. It wasn't the hot, open mouthed, needing, feverish first kiss she had imagined with him. It was perfect and delicate and passionate and it left her wanting more. She had never thought the first time they kissed would be in the hospital waiting room. It took an injury for them to acknowledge their feeling.

"Where is Charlie?"

"She is at my place with Dickie. I called Kelly and told her what happened, she is with both of them over there. I thought you would want to clean up before you see her," he explained. It wasn't until that moment that she saw they were both stained with her blood. It was all down the front of her shirt and his. The sight made her feel naseous.

"Yeah, a shower sounds nice," she said. He took her hand in his and they made their way out. There was still a lot they had to talk about but she loved the gesture.

* * *

When they got to her apartment she went to her room. She grabbed an old t shirt of Daniel's and made her way back out him.

"I found this t shirt. It should fit you," she said tossing him the shirt. He smiled graciously as she made her way into the bathroom. He quickly changed into the t shirt and threw his in the rubbish bin. He had no interest in ever wearing it again after it had been tarnished with her blood.

After they she was cleaned up they were on their way. During the drive to his place he silently garbbed her hand that was settled in her lap. She smilled at him and stroked her thumb on his palm.

"You know that there are still things we need to talk about if we are going to do this," she said quietly acknowledging the shift in their relationship.

"I know. When the time is right we can sit down and talk about everything," he said sending her a dimpled smile.

"El, I could have died today," she whispered as tears filled her eyes. The weight of the day was still fresh, and her emotions caught her off guard.

He quickly pulled the car over and hugged her from across the seat.

"Oh, Liv. Its ok sweetheart. You're ok."

"What would have happened to Charlie? I am the only person she has," she cried quietly.

"You know I'd never let anything happen to her. I love Charlie," he said rubbing his thumb under her eye. She nodded and took a deep breath. He gave her a couple of minutes to pull herself together as he rubbed soothing circles on her back.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I am a bit of a mess," she said as she got her composure back and settled back on her side of the car.

"You're perfect," he said placing a kiss on her forehead. "Let's go see the kids. I think it'll help a lot," he said as he pulled away from the curb.

* * *

When they reached his place Charlie ran to Olivia ,throwing her arms around her. Olivia kneeled and wrapped her in a large hug. Olivia lifted her up as they made their way to the couch. Elliot silently led Dickie to the kitchen while they gave the girls a few minutes.

"Mom, what happened?"

"There was an accident at work. Everything is ok though," she said as she ran her fingers through Charlie's hair. She didn't want to scare her by giving her all the details. The young girl had curled up into Olivia's chest.

"Does it hurt?" Charlie ran her fingers lightly over the obvious wound on her neck.

"Not too bad. It did earlier," she said. She was so happy to be holding her little girl after everything that had happened. She couldn't imagine if the injury had been any worse and she never got to do this again.

"I love you mom," Charlie whispered.

"I love you too Charlie."

They had stayed at Elliot's for dinner, ordering a pizza. After dinner he drove them home, him and Dickie stayed for a little while. He was hoping to get a chance to talk to Olivia alone. Unfortunately the oppurtunity hadn't presented itself and there were still things left in the air. He was nervous as to whether he and Olivia were on the same page about starting a relationship. After todays events he knew it wasn't the most important topic and was willing to wait to sort it out.

When he and Dickie were leaving Olivia walked them to the door. There was so much he wanted to say but didn't know how to.

"Would you like to have dinner with us tomorrow night? I think there are some things we need to talk about," she said leaning against the door frame.

"That sounds perfect," he said as his fingers accidently brushed hers. She stood on her tippy toes and brushed a kiss across his cheek. She didn't want to leave any doubt as to what her intentions were with their relationship. He gave her a face splitting smile before turning to leave.

"See you tomorrow," he said as he made his way down the hallway.

* * *

Ok sooo sorry for it taking so long

I dk why but i struggled a lot with how to start this one...but now that i finished it i am kinda happy with it

its so cliche but oh well lolz

thanks for the amazing reviews!


	8. Chapter 8

The next day at work had been excruciatingly long for both of them. Now that Elliot had felt her lips on his it was all he could think about. Both of them were waiting for the evening to bring the subject up but it was obvious that it was playing on both of their minds. They had arranged for Dickie to go over to Olivia's after school with Charlie and they would leave work together and head straight there. When it was finally time to go he led her to his car with his hand on her back.

When they got to Olivia's they walked into the room and heard the two children arguing. Kelly was in the middle trying to difuse the fight but not succeeding.

"Shut up, Charlotte," Dickie said emphasizing the name.

"You shut up, dickhead," Charlie yelled.

"Charlotte, where did you learn that ?" When Olivia's voice boomed through the room, both kids stopped what they were doing. Charlotte looked stunned and her eyes went straight to the floor. Kelly sent a quiet wave and a sheepish smile to Olivia as she excused herself.

"I heard it on a movie," she said quietly.

"Charlie, kitchen now," Olivia said.

She groaned but followed her into the kitchen. Olivia began getting everything ready for dinner. She shoved some vegetables Charlie's way ,indicating for her to begin peeling them.

"Tell me what I just walked in on," Olivia said giving Charlie a pointed look. Charlie was reluctanct but knowing her mother would keep pushing the issue she finally spoke up.

"I like a boy at school, Taylor. Dickie is friends with him and I asked if he would tell him I like him. Dickie said no 'cause he is dumb jerk," she said with a scowl on her face.

"Charlotte, language. That's what you guys were fighting about?"

Charlie nodded.

"Well what if Dickie liked one of your friends and he asked you to do that. What would you say?"

"Eww no way!"

"Why not?"

"'Cause its weird ," she as if it was obvious.

"Exactly, imagine how Dickie feels. I think you should apologize to him."

Meanwhile, Elliot was in the living room with Dickie. He had just explained the situation to him.

"So she is mad because you won't tell the kid she likes him?"

"Yeah. I don't want to dad. He isn't even cool ,and if she starts hanging out with him she won't want to hang out with me," Dickie said lowly.

"Oh Dickie, did you tell Charlie that?"

"No."

"Come on, let's go sort this out. You can't be mad at your best friend forever," he said as they made their way to the kitchen.

Olivia gave Elliot a smile when he entered the kitchen. She sent a stern look Charlie's way.

"I'm sorry I got so mad at you, Dickie," Charlie said, knowing what her mother wanted.

"Its ok Charlie. I just don't want you to forget about me when you start to hang out with Taylor," he replied.

"You're my best friend Dickie. We will still hang out all the time," she said smiling. DIckie got a large smile and suddenly the argument had been forgotten.

She whispered in Olivia's ear . When Olivia nodded the kids ran out of the kitchen together. Olivia and Elliot were left in the kitchen alone. He took over the task that Charlie had abandoned and gave her a smile.

"So," Olivia said unsure of how to breach the subject .

"So, you looked beautiful today," he said smoothly. He saw her blush.

"I want this, Liv. I want to give this a shot," he said surprising her.

"I want this too. We need to talk to the kids first. We need to consider the fact that they might not be comfortable with it," she said always being the voice of reason and never jumping in head first.

"We can bring it up at dinner," he said feeling confident that the kids would be ok with it.

"And work?"

"We are great partners at work. I think we can keep it to ourselves until we see where this is heading. When the time comes, we decide together when to tell the captain. If there are any consequences, I am prepared to take them," he suggested. She smiled and made her way into his arms. She settled her head in the juncture between his neck and shoulder.

"Tell me this isn't a dream," she joked.

He laughed and kissed the top of her head.

"Does this mean I get to take you on a date?"

"If things go well tonight, definitely," she said looking up at him. He couldn't resist planting a kiss on her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck as it deepened. They pulled apart and he planted one more quick kiss on her lips before they conitinued cooking. She couldn't hide the smile on her face as she got lost in her happiness.

When dinner was ready they had the kids wash up and they all sat around the table. While they ate Elliot and Olivia exchanged glances, both knowing what had to be done.

"Guys, me and Olivia have something we wanted to talk to you about," Elliot said as he took Olivia's hand in his on top of the table. The kids looked up from their meals with curious expressions. They didn't notice his action, and if they did they didn't care.

"What is it dad?"

"How would you guys feel if me and Olivia started dating?"

Olivia sent him a nervous glance and watched Charlie's face. The kids looked at each other and then back to their parents with expressions they couldn't read.

"You guys aren't gonna kiss and be all gross in front of us?" Charlie asked looking at her mother. The adults both laughed.

"No, we won't be gross in front of you," Olivia said .

"So you guys will be hanging out more and stuff?" This time it was Dickie who spoke.

"Yeah, sometimes we will go out on our own but we will all see each other just as much," Elliot said hoping this would go well. Dickie and Charlie both looked at each other before smiling.

"Awesome," they said in unison. After receiving confused glances from the adults Charlie continued," We don't care if guys are gonna date. We are just excited to get to hang out more."

Olivia looked at Elliot and they both smiled. She was excited at the idea of starting a relationship with Elliot. Thy had danced around the idea for so long it felt as if it would never happen. Now that it was she couldn't really believe it. Elliot was happy as well. He wasn't sure how he could have handled not being able to kiss her, not after being given the privilege already.

After dinner the kids settled in front of the TV while the adults made their way into the kitchen. Olivia began filling up the sink to do the dishes while Elliot cleaned up the counter tops. She jumped a bit when she felt his hands on her hips. He laughed lowly in her ear, as he wrapped his arms around her, the noise going straight to her gut.

"You smell incredible," he said as he swept her hair from her neck. She dried her hands off and turned in his arms. She kissed him firmly. He gripped the edge of the sink and trapped her in his arms. She smiled into their kiss and looped her arms around his waist. Her heart was racing as he ran his tongue on her lower lip asking for entrance. She gladly gave it to him. His hand ran through her hair and then his fingers danced along her neck. She moaned softly at the contact. He pulled back form the kiss suddenly. She was slightly confused.

"Sorry, I didn't want to get carried away. I don't want to rush you into anything," he said putting his hand back on the sink but not stepping away.

"We have been dancing around this for the better part of six months, you couldn't have possibly slowed it down anymore," she said with a laugh as she rested her head on his chest. "Although I agree making out with the kids in the next room isn't a great idea." He laughed and rested his chin on top of her head. Neither moved for a little while, enjoying the comfort of each others embrace.

"Go out with me this Friday," he whispered.

"I thought you'd never ask," she joked.

* * *

OK so dont kill me because it isnt super long...i debated back and forth about putting the date in this chapter but i didnt want to because i wanted to make it a bit longer and didnt want to drag the chapter out too much

so here is a quick one and i will start the next on today and hopefully have it up in the next couple days!


	9. Chapter 9

Friday came painfully slow for the pair. At work they were discreet and professional, when their shift would finish they would exit the precinct and Elliot would take her hand and walk her to his car. Every night when he drove her home she would get a quick kiss, one particular night it turned a bit heated and he found himself taking a cold shower once he got home. He was finding it harder and harder to keep his hands off of her.

As soon as the date had been confirmed Elliot started racking his brain for ideas. He wanted to do something out the ordinary but nothing too extreme. He wanted it to be romantic and private but still worthy of being called a date. Olivia had suggested that Dickie stay the night at her place. She had told him it would be better getting one babysitter and the kids would enjoy each others company. He couldn't help but think that it also meant his house would be kid free if the night went particularly well. He scolded himself for such thoughts knowing it was their first date.

When Friday came Elliot dropped Olivia off at her apartment. After saying hello to Charlie and having a quick chat she made her way into the shower. Charlie was excited for the night, more for the fact Dickie would be staying over. It was the first time he had spent the night, Olivia had been nervous about the idea and didn't know if it would be crossing any untold boundaries, with Dickie being a boy and Charlie being a girl. In the end she had rationalised that they were still young and she was just being over cautious as usual.

When she got out of the shower she started doing her makeup in front of her bathroom mirror. Charlie walked in and sat on her bed and silently watched as Olivia got ready. Olivia blow dryed her hair and had just started painting her nails when she noticed Charlie staring at the small bottle.

"Want me to do yours?" Charlie looked a little embarassed at the fact she had been so easy to read, but nodded her head anyways. After finishing her own hands Olivia began painting Charlie's nails.

"Mom, do you ever wish that I was more girly?"

"Of course not, you're perfect the way you are. Why?"

"Just all the girls in my class always are talking about clothes and shoes and stuff. I don't really like all that stuff though," Charlie said. Olivia gave her a smile as she continued her task.

"Charlie you're only 10. When you get older and if you decide you want to wear dresses and make up that's ok, if not that's ok too. You will be my favorite person in the world no matter what," she said capping the small bottle. Charlie gave her mother a hug, being careful of her nails.

"Good 'cause I hate dresses," she said running off. Olivia laughed to herself as she finished getting ready. Elliot had told her to dress casual. She decided on a cotton dress and a cardigan. She was wondering what they would be doing. She had expected something typical like dinner and a movie, but after his request she was curious.

Not long later there was a knock at her door. She gave herself one last look before making her way out. Charlie had already opened the door after asking who it was. She got butterflies as soon as she saw him. He was wearing a button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up and the top button undone, a look he would sometimes sport at work that drove her wild. His chinos did wonders for his ass and took all her self control not to take a bite of it. He gave her a small kiss on the cheek as he placed Dickie's bags on the couch.

"You look amazing," he said drinking her in with his eyes.

"Thank you. You look pretty good yourself."

"What's that on your nails?" Dickie said looking at Charlie like she had grown another head.

"Nail polish duh," she said.

"Since when did you become a girl?" She rolled her eyes.

"Probably the same time you did," she said as she stuck her tongue out at him. He mimicked her actions and crossed his eyes before they both burst out in laughter.

After going down the hall to get Kelly and saying their goodbyes the adults were on their way. He had opened her car door for her and as they were driving he had one hand on the steering wheel and the other in her hand. She entwined their fingers and revelled in the feeling as they drove.

"Where are we going?" She couldn't contain her curiousness anymore.

"To dinner," he said casually never taking his eyes off the road.

"Then why did you ask me to dress casual?" She was thoroughly confused now.

"You'll see," he said bringing their hands up to his mouth and kissing he knuckles. The action was so sweet and she was more than happy to wait and see where this was headed. When they pulled into a park she was even more confused. He got out, after parking the car, and opened her door. He started unloading the trunk and she was starting to put the pieces together. He had a large picnic basket, two large blankets, and a couple cushions.

"Can I help you carry anything?"

"Sure," he said handing her the blankets. She followed as he made his way down a path. They walked for a few minutes before they came to an opening. There were white strings of christmas lights hung in some of the trees that helped illuminate the area. There was a building to the far left, but Olivia couldn't tell what it was. There were a few other people there scattered around the feild.

"This is beautiful," she said, looping her arm in his.

Elliot made his way under one of the trees and spread out one of the blankets. They sat down and she smiled as he began unpacking the basket. He pulled out wine glasses and a bottle of red wine. He had also packed some finger food for them.

"Picnic in the park. Who would have thought Stabler was a romantic," she laughed.

"In about an hour there will be a movie," he said gesturing to the building. She had put the pieces together and realzied they would be screening a movie on the side of the building.

"How did you find this? Its incredible," she said as he poured them some wine.

"When Dickie was five I brought him one night. They play kids movies once in a while. We left halfway through, he hated it ," he laughed. She laughed and picked at the food.

"Did you make all of this?" She gestured toward the food.

"Yep," he said casually. Inside he was all nerves. He was hoping she had liked his idea. He hadn't been on a date in so long, and Olivia was a very special person. He didn't want any details to go unnoticed. She seemed to be impressed so he tried to relax a little bit.

They fell into a comfortable converstaion and Olivia couldn't help scooting closer to him on the blanket. Soon she found herself wrapped in his arms as they finished their second glass of wine. Just when the food had been forgotten he pulled out a plate of chocolate covered strawberries. He held one out to her and she wrapped her mouth around it as she moaned at the taste. He ate the remaining half of the strawberry and kissed her. His lips tasted like wine and strawberries as their tongues dueled. They seperated before things got heated.

"Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight?"

"Yes you did, but thank you for saying it again," she said

More people had started arriving for the movie and the lights went out. Just as the movie started playing Elliot settled the cushions against the tree as Olivia laid between his legs. He smiled down at her as she watched the film and covered them with the second blanket. He ran one hand through her hair while the other held her hand that was settled on her stomach. He couldn't focus on the screen because he was so wrapped up in her. He never would have thought that they would feel so comfortable with the physical contact so fast, but everything with them just felt so right. She brought their entwined hand to her mouth and kissed them, mimicking his action from earlier.

Olivia was also having a really hard time focusing on the movie. His fingers were dancing on her scalp and it sent shivers down her spine. She could feel his even breathing against her chest and his smell surrounded her. When his hand slid down to her neck she was like putty in his hands. His thumb drew small delicate circles on her hairline as liquid pooled between her legs. She wondered if Elliot realized what his touch was doing to her or if he had wound her up this tight unknowingly. She turned in his arms and he gave her a soft smile, completely ignorant to the burning in her core.

She kissed him and he was surprised but soon reacted to the kiss. The hand on her neck tangled in her hair as he craned her neck, giving him better access to explore. She had shifted her body awkwardly so she was laying between his legs while her top half fused with his. He kissed his way to her ear and took the lobe into his mouth. She gave a barely audible moan when he released it with a pop.

"Take me home, Elliot," she whispered. He pulled back and looked in her eyes for confirmation. After finding it they grabbed all their belongings and made their way to the car.

* * *

They calmly made their way through the door when they got to Elliot's. As soon as the door was shut behind them Olivia was in his arms and her mouth was on his. His hands went straight to her hips as she began kicking off her shoes. He did the same as he peppered kisses down her neck. She walked backwards into the dark room and her thighs hit the dining room table. He lifted her up and sat her on the table as he stood between her legs. He was now a bit taller than her. She smiled up at him as she began unbuttoning his shirt. He grabbed her hands and she was confused as she looked up at him.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He didn't want her to regret anything. This had never been his intention and he almost felt guilty for letting his desires get the best of him.

"Elliot, I know you're a gentleman so stop worrying so much. I am grown woman and I know what I want. Right now I want you to get naked," she said slightly breathless from their heated kisses. She leaned up and kissed him and it sealed the deal. He was free from his shirt and he had removed her cardigan. Their mouths hadn't separated as her hands went to his pants. Her heart was racing and her hands worked quickly with desire. She had dreamed of this moment and she couldn't believe it was finally here.

Elliot's hands traveled up her thighs, carrying her dress with them, as he kicked out his pants. She could see he was hard through his boxers and he didn't look small either. She leaned back on her elbows as his body followed his hands up to her face. He gave her lips a kiss as he pulled the material over her head. She hadn't been wearing a bra so she was just left in her underwear. He let out an appreciative groan as his eyes darkened.

"God you're beautiful," he said as he kissed his way down her neck. Her skin was hot with his touch as he ran his palms up her stomach. His thumb brushed her nipple as he took the other into his mouth. His tongue swirled around the tiny bud as her back arched. She could feel him pressed into her thigh. Her hand snaked its way down and stroked him through the cotton material. He moaned and bucked his hips into hers. She was everything that he wanted. He had never been with a woman that was so confident in the bedroom, she knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid of getting it. Most women he had been with were more timid and let him take control. Just like everything else with them this felt like a partnership, both playing off of each others move .

After releasing her breast from his mouth, he planted hot open mouthed kisses down her stomach . When he reached her panties he gave her one last look before pulling them down her legs. He could see her glistening desire and it only made him want her more. She looked down at him, her eyelids heavy with desire. She sat up and captured his lips as she removed his boxer briefs.

"Its been awhile," she said quietly. He smiled and smoothed a hand over her hair.

"For me too. We will go as slow as you want." She scooted to the edge of the table and wrapped her legs around his middle. She found it a bit humorous that their first time would be on the dining room table, but it was also incredibly sexy. She had never been particularly adventurous in the bedroom but with Elliot she could come up with creative ideas. His mouth was on hers as he entered her slowly. He captured her moan as she adjusted to his size.

All of her senses were on fire. His pace quickened and she knew that she wouldn't last very long. He held her close to his body as their chests pressed together. She kissed the underside of his chin, smiling at the roughness of his stubble. She loved that despite the fact everything about his screamed masculinity, he was so gentle and soft with her. The way his palms held her thighs was firm but the way he kissed her shoulder was breathtaking. Their eyes connected as his thrusts became harder.

"Oh god," she moaned throatily. He kissed her neck and her reaction was noticeable. He smiled as he continued his ministrations. Her eyes rolled back in her head as she wrapped her legs tighter around him, burying him deeper inside her. He groaned and gave her neck a gentle bit, soothing it with his tongue afterwards. His hot breath on her neck brought her even closer to the edge.

Elliot was struggling to hold himself together. It had been awhile since he had sex and he didn't want to end this too soon. She wasn't doing him any favors though, she radiated sex. Her neck was his new favorite thing in the world. Her skin was incredibly soft and tasted amazing. Her reaction to his touch fueled his movements. He felt her tighten around him as she threw her head back and moaned loudly. His mouth latched onto the exposed skin as he groaned his release. He found her lips as sh came down form her high. They were both breathing heavily as he ran his hand down her back. She stayed in his arms and rested her head on his shoulder, giving him a small kiss below the ear.

"You are incredible," she said pulling back and looking into his eyes. Her breathing was finally starting to even out.

"_That_ was incredible and you're perfect," he said as he picked her up bridal style. She laughed, looping an arm around his neck. He carried her effortlessly to the bedroom and laid her on the mattress before he crawled in next to her. She curled into his side and rested her head on his shoulder as he ran a hand through her hair. It wasn't long before they started round two, this time lasting a bit longer than the first. After wearing themselves out they fell asleep in each others arms.

* * *

sorry it took so long i got stuck in a few places.

Ultimately i am pretty happy with how it turned out ,could have been a bit better but thats ok =)

Thank you to my great reviewers I try to keep you guys happy =)

please excuse any grammar mistakes and typos


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning when Elliot woke up he was blissfully happy. Her back was pressed to his chest and he had his arms wrapped around her. Neither had bothered getting dressed before going to sleep and her bare skin was expansively soft. He rested up on his elbow and smiled at her sleeping figure. She looked like a goddess, her skin was glowing with the morning sun and her hair was fanned out across the pillow. He placed a kiss on her temple and laid back down beside her. He pulled her tighter into his arms as he basked in the feeling. He ran a single finger along her arm, when she didn't rouse he continued its journey down her side. She stirred when she felt it dancing along her rib cage, it had always been one of her ticklish spots.

"Good morning, beautiful," he said smiling at her. This was by far the perfect start to the day.

"Good morning," she said stretching and rolling onto her back. He was now propped up and looking down at her.

"Did you sleep well?" She nodded as she ran her palm up his bicep. She had a dreamy smile to match his. When her palm reached his neck she pulled him down for a kiss.

"I thought I could make us some breakfast before we go back to see the kids," he said already getting up. She watched the muscles in his back flex as he pulled on a pair of boxers. She held back a moan as she remembered the feel of them under her hands last night. She noticed his expectant look when she didn't answer and had to stop herself from laughing at her own behavior.

"That sounds great," she said throwing back the sheet and following him. She found his button down shirt in the living room and put it on over her naked form. She met Elliot in the kitchen and watched as he started cooking. He handed her a cup of coffee and she lifted herself onto the counter top. He could barely finish the task at hand, distracted by her beauty. She was sitting watching him make breakfast in his shirt, with nothing underneath. He could die a happy man. He managed to finish cooking and put the food on plates.

As he carried the food towards her, she saw the playful look in his eyes. He settled himself between her legs , having enough room for the plate to sit on her thighs. They ate in that position, stealing a few kisses but neither saying a word, just enjoying the comfortable playfulness. When they finished eating he pushed the plates to the side and she wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

"I had an amazing time last night," she said.

"I did too. Maybe next time we can actually finish the date though," he said with a chuckle.

"I quite enjoyed the ending, didn't you?" She joked as her fingers played with his hairline. He laughed genuinely before his hand came to rest on her face. He smoothed a thumb over her cheek as his eyes traveled her face.

"You are so beautiful," he whispered. She smiled, she could see honesty in his eyes but also a bit of fire. Her mouth was on his within a second. Unlike the kisses from last night, where they shared control, she let him dominate her mouth. His hand held her body just under her breasts while the other tangled in her hair. She gave him everything he asked for as her body arched into his. She worked the buttons of his shirt and it fell open around her.

"You look so sexy in this," he said pushing it open even further without removing it. He kissed from her neck down her body, paying special attention to her breasts. She was leaning back as much as the space would allow as she watched him worship her body. His hands were on her thighs and he pulled them apart as his mouth reached her navel. He ran two fingers along her slit as his mouth got closer and closer to its destination. She moaned at the contact and he gave her a cocky smile when he felt how wet she was for him.

She could feel his hot breath on her most intimate parts as he placed open mouthed kisses on her thighs. She gasped when he finally ran his tongue over the sensitive area. He let out an appreciative groan as his tongue worked magic on her body. His hands held her hips still as he made her squirm with his ministrations. He knew his knees would be sore for the rest of the day, from his squatting position, but the way her legs were wrapped around his shoulders made it worth it. Every time he would hit a particularly good spot her thighs would tense and she would let out a heavenly moan. Her hand found its way to his head as her nails grazed his scalp.

He could sense her pressure building as she threw her head back. He closed his lips around the small bud and ran his tongue over it while sucking lightly. It had its desired effect as her body tensed and her eyes rolled back.

"Mmm Elliot," she released just above a whisper and it filled him with a sense of pride. He ran his tongue over her carefully while she rode out her high. When he sensed she was back on this planet he wiped some of the moisture from his lips before kissing her. The kiss turned heated as her hand snaked to his boxers. She started shoving them down his legs and, with his help, they were removed. That was all the encouragement he needed as he parted her thighs. He entered her slowly and brought them both to ecstasy again. After their escapade they shared a shower and made their way to Olivia's.

* * *

"Mom!" "Dad!" Dickie and Charlie yelled, at the same time, when they walked into the apartment.

"Hi guys. Did you have a good night?"

"Yeah! Kelly let us stay up late and watch a scary movie," Dickie said. Kelly who had been gathering her things gave them a guilty look but Olivia shot her a reassuring smile.

"Sounds fun," Elliot said as he ruffled his sons hair. Dickie and Charlie were still in their pajamas, obviously having slept in. The adults shooed them off to go get dressed.

"Mom, can Dickie stay the night again? Please, we won't stay up late this time I promise," she begged. Olivia hesitated giving a questioning look towards Elliot. When he smiled she knew he was ok with the idea.

"Ok, sure." They high-fived before running off to get dressed.

* * *

Elliot had spent most of the day with them before excusing himself after dinner. Despite both kids sleeping in, they had been tired and ended up going to bed easily. It gave her some time to herself which she spent in a hot bath with a book. After her bath she had laid down to sleep and let her mind wander. She was happy she would get to see Elliot again tomorrow when he came to get Dickie. She enjoyed his company and now that they had a new side of their relationship to explore it filled her with excitement. She had gotten a few glimpses of how she imagined he would be in a relationship but it had mostly been her imagination. She had learned so much even from their short first date. He had tried to do something different and had been incredibly thoughtful. He was a gentleman, something she had always known.

Just as she was falling asleep she heard the tv in the living room turn on. She put on her robe and made her way out. Dickie was settled into the couch with the remote in his hand, the throw spread over him.

"Hey you ok?" She had said more to make her presence known, he didn't look upset.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you up," he gave her an apologetic look.

"That's ok. Anything wrong?"

"No , I just couldn't sleep," he said settling on a channel. She stood behind the couch and ran a hand over his hair, noting that it was getting longer.

"Want a hot chocolate?"

"Sure," he agreed. It was something she would do for Charlie as well. The warm milk helped make you feel sleepy and the sugar free cocoa mix didn't cause any energy rush. She made them both a mug before sitting on the couch next to him.

"Scooby-Doo, my favorite," she commented on the show. He nodded and sipped his drink. They sat in silence for a few minutes, just watching the show.

"Are you and my dad gonna be having a lot of sleepovers?" She was a bit surprised at the question.

"Um, I wouldn't say a lot but we might have a few every now and then. Is that ok?"

"To have sex?" He asked, ignoring her question. She would've spit her drink out if she had any in her mouth. She wasn't surprised that this day in age he knew what sex was, but she hadn't expected it.

"Sometimes, maybe. Would that make you mad?" He wasn't looking at her as he though about it.

"No, I guess not. My dad says that people have sex when they love each other. Do you love my dad?" She really hadn't been expecting this conversation tonight. He watched her as she answered the question.

"There are a lot of different types of love. I love your dad a lot. I have to trust him to have my back everyday at work and we are really good friends. Romantic love can take more time. Do you understand what I am saying?"

"Yeah, I think so," he said nodding his head. She gave him a reassuring smile.

"Dickie, are you sure that you are ok with me and your dad dating? We wouldn't be mad if you weren't."

"Yeah, my dad has been on dates before. They were a long time ago though. I never really liked those ladies but you're cool and nice. I love you," he said as if it was something everyone already knew. She could've cried at his words. It was so simple but so perfect. She hugged him and kissed the top of his head.

"I love you too Dickie." When they pulled back from the hug she smiled when he stayed curled into her side. She kept her arm around his shoulder and they went back to watching the cartoon.

"Olivia, when you and my dad have sleepovers can me and Charlie have them too?" he asked quietly from her side. She laughed lightly.

"Sure that sounds fair." They watched tv for a little while longer before Dickie fell asleep. She covered him up and made her way to bed.

* * *

Ok forgive me for being an awful person and waiting so long to update!

I dont even have any excuses, just been way too procrastinaty ( not a word i know) this week.

Hope you like it...the first half was planned but the second half i kinda winged it so hope it isnt obvious

as usual forgive spelling and grammar cause i suck lolz

review plssss i love them and also anything u guys wanna see happen let me know and i can try to incorporate it


	11. Chapter 11

"You want to go to dinner tonight? We could take the kids out somewhere," Olivia suggested. It was Friday and the day was coming to an end.

"We can't tonight, Kathy is coming to have dinner with Dickie," he said with a regretful smile. They had been dating for three weeks now. It had included some time spent with the kids, but also time spent on their own.

"Oh, no, of course. We can do it another time," she tried hiding her disappointment. She knew he had an obligation but she selfishly wanted him to herself. They had become so comfortable and happy the last few weeks. They kept their displays of affection to a minimum in front of the children, but he would more often than not have a arm wrapped around her waist or their hands would be entwined. The kids didn't seem to mind too much the first he had planted a quick kiss on her lips and it was something that had become a regular thing. They spent time together on the weekends and even managed to have dinner together a few nights a week. It hadn't been intentional but the four of them just seemed to fit perfectly into the others lives.

"Sorry," he offered as they gathered their things to leave. She glanced around to make sure nobody was looking, they still hadn't shared the news of their relationship, before she planted a quick kiss on his lips. He seemed content and the subject was dropped.

* * *

Later that night, around ten, Olivia had decided to give Elliot a call. She knew it was kind of late but she also knew he would most likely be awake. Despite seeing him a few hours ago, she missed him. She had meant to call a bit earlier to see if he would like to meet up for breakfast, seeing as they didn't get to have dinner together.

She was laying in bed as she dialed his cell number.

"Hello?" It was a womans voice. She could only assume it was Kathy. She hadn't expected her to answer, let alone still be there. Dickie would have been in bed for a little while now.

"Um, hi is Elliot there?"

"No sorry, he just popped out. He should be back soon if you would like me to take a message," she responded kindly, which only bugged Olivia more. She tried to ignore the little voices in her head. They are divorced, have been for awhile, she told herself. I'm sure there is a perfectly good explanation as to why his ex wife is at his home, late at night, more than likely sleeping there tonight.

"No that's ok. Thank you," she said hanging up quickly. She tried to act rational but couldn't stop feeling jealous. She sank into her bed and fell into a restless sleep, hoping her negative thoughts would be lost in her dreams.

The next morning when she woke up she saw a couple unanswered text messages from Elliot.

_Hey I saw you called are you still up? Sorry I missed you._

_You must be asleep. Ill call you in the morning. Night sweetheart._

She couldn't help but smile at the pet name. He had only used it a few times, but everytime she loved it. Then as if he could sense she was awake her phone rang in her hand.

"Benson," she answered, already knowing it was him.

"Morning sunshine."

"Morning."

"Sorry I missed your call last night . I didn't realize I left my cell at home. Did you need anything important?" He asked unaware of her insecurities.

"No, it doesn't matter now," she said with a bit of attitude. She knew she was being cold towards him and it was childish but it was as if she couldn't stop herself.

"It matters to me. What was it?"

"I was gonna see if you and Dickie wanted to meet us for breakfast. That was before I knew you had a guest," she felt better after finally adressing the reason for her attitude. She was also hoping for an explanation.

"Guest?" He was now thoroughly confused. Did she know something he didn't? Did he forget something that he was meant to remember?

"Kathy," she all but mumbled.

"Kathy isn't here," he said as he put the pieces together. She was jealous. Kathy had answered his phone and she got jealous. He couldn't help but smile at how cute the situation was.

"She isnt? But she answered your phone late last night," she said feeling more childish than ever. She scolded herself for ridiculous behavior and letting her mind get the better of her.

"Her car didn't start when she went to leave last night. Turns out her battery died. She stayed with Dickie and I went to a 24 hour place that sells batteries. Thank god for the city that never sleeps right?"

She let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry. I don't know why my mind even went there," she shook her head at her own behavoir. She pulled her head under the blanket and smacked her forehead. She didn't want to screw things up before they even started.

"Liv, you know I would never cheat or be anything but truthful to you, right? I like what we have too much for that. Me and kathy are over. If we were gonna get back together it would have been years ago," he said seriously.

"I know all of that, I do. It's just been so long since I have given so much of myself to someone. I get insecure sometimes," she said quietly. She wasn't used to opening up to someone so much and it felt awkward to her.

"Don't be. I've only got eyes for you baby," he said causing her to laugh. She sensed he could have continued with their deep conversation but that he was ending it for her sake , which she appreciated. He knew she wasn't always an open book but she was learning to let him in more.

"I am so undeniably female sometimes," she said with a roll of her eyes.

"Sweetheart with that body, you are always undeniably female," he laughed. She laughed too and there was a pause before he spoke.

"That offer for breakfast still stand?"

"Definitely," she said smiling wide as she pushed the blankets from off her head.

* * *

They met for breakfast in a diner that was equidistant to both of their homes. When Olivia first saw Elliot she couldn't help but blush and give him a quiet apology for her behaviour. He had laughed it off before kissing her forehead. They all enjoyed their breakfast and decided to walk to Elliot's to spend time together for the rest of the day. The kids had ran ahead, within resonable distance, giving the adults some privacy. Most of the walk had been silent so far, while they walked hand in hand.

"Fourth of July is coming up soon," Elliot broke the silence.

"So is the fifth of July," Olivia deadpanned.

"You're such a smartass," he laughed.

"I was thinking we could go away for a long weekend. We could take the kids to the beach for the fourth, see the fireworks, spend some time together." He glanced at her sideways, hoping to guage her reaction.

"A long weekend? At the beach?" Her tone had suggested that she didn't hate the idea.

"Yeah, the fourth is on the Sunday. We could drive down Saturday and be back in time for work on Tuesday," he said excitedly. She couldn't help but grin at him as he gave her a questioning look. He had clearly put some thought into the idea.

"Wouldn't the captain get suspicious if we both asked for the Monday off?"

"What if we told him about us?" He had said it quietly. He knew she had reservations about exposing their relationship, more so than him. He understood why. She loved her job and didn't want to risk it, she also wasn't ready to give him up as a partner. When she didn't say anything he nervously continued.

"Here me out. I know we said that we would wait until we saw where this was going, but that's bullshit. We both know this isn't some fling. I am in this one hundred percent, I know my feelings towards you. I never would have gotten this far in if I wasn't serious. Just let me know if you aren't ready for it and I can drop the was just a suggestion," he spoke calmly but he couldn't hide his nerves when he ran his free hand down his face. He hadn't dared to look towards Olivia, sensing she would shoot down the idea immediately.

She waited a few seconds as thoughts swirled in her head. It was true that their relationship wasn't a fling. It was also true that the idea of revealing their relationship made her nervous. She knew it was important to Elliot though. It would come out eventually anyways right? Maybe not this week, but somewhere down the road. She watched the man beside her and smiled at his hesitation. She could tell that he hadn't wanted to upset her by suggesting it. He was always so aware of her feeling. She had never been with someone who had been so attentive and she hoped what they had would last a very long time to come.

"Ok," she said, giving his hand a squeeze. His eyes met hers and she smiled, causing the corners of his mouth to turn up.

"Yeah?"

"Don't act so surprised. You aren't the only one who is serious about this relationship. Let's talk to the captian on Monday. If we manage to get the following Monday off than we can talk about the trip, one thing at a time though," she said as he was still smiling at her. She laughed and his lips met hers in a smothering kiss. She laughed as they both pulled apart.

He was happy to have her let go just that tiny bit. He knew she wasn't always an open book and he could accept that, but he was appreciative for moments like these. It gave him the reassurance he needed. He was also happy that they seemed to be happening more frequently. She was becoming more comfortable with the idea of letting him see her vulnerable side. It always seemed to make him fall for her just that little bit more. He was confident that they would be able to get the time off, their work load hadn't been over bearing recently. He couldn't wait for Monday to come.

* * *

Ok so I know it isn't much but I hope you guys like it..I wanted to give you something before I go away for my long weekend of work.

Next chapter is cragen and some of the vacation bits... forgive any grammar and spelling plss

let me know what u think by reviewing!


	12. Chapter 12

Monday morning Elliot had picked Olivia and Charlie up in the morning. He could see how nervous Olivia was, especially when she couldn't stop tapping her foot in the car. He had reached his hand across the middle and rested it on her thigh hoping to calm her down a bit. She gave him a weak smile in return. Everyone said their goodbyes as they arrived at the kids school. Before driving away he turned in his seat to face her.

"You ready for this?" He knew in a matter of minutes they would be at the station.

"Anxious, but ready," she said with a laugh. He kissed her and pulled away from the curb.

They were the first to arrive at the station, other than the captain. They walked into the building hand in hand, heading straight for Cragen's office. Olivia took a deep breath as Elliot knocked on his door. She was ready for this but she was still nervous. She loved working for this unit and didn't want for her reputation here to be tarnished. She knew her feelings for Elliot were very deep and their relationship was worth it. It was just a job but it had become such a large part of who she was. They weren't breaking any rules, it was 'frowned upon' but not prohibited. 'Frowned upon', what a stupid fucking phrase. How was she supposed to help how she felt towards him? Was she supposed to ignore her own happiness because something was 'frowned upon'?

When cragen opened the door his eyes went straight to their entwined hands. Elliot gave hers a reassuring squeeze as their captain sighed and ushered them inside.

"Sit," he said already knowing what this was about. They all sat down and there was an awkward pause.

"So, you two huh?" Cragen said it with a bit of a laugh. This caused a small smile from the pair as they glanced at each other and nodded.

"How long?"

"About a month," it was Olivia who spoke. Cragen nodded and folded his hands, clearly in thought.

"I suppose I should have seen this coming," he said. Olivia and Elliot waited for him to continue. Olivia's knee started jumping with nerves and Elliot put his hand on her leg , calming it for the second time that morning. She put her hand on top if his and gently squeezed.

"How serious is this?"

"Serious enough that we are telling you," Elliot stated.

"I am going to give you the benefit of the doubt here. You are my best team and seeing as you've managed to remain professional for a month says something. You can remain partners for the time being. As soon as things get anymore serious than they are I am to be notified, got it?" His voice was serious and left no room for argument. They both smiled widely at the fact that they'd be remaining partners.

"Yes sir," they said together.

"I don't think you need to be reminded to keep it professional, the minute your personal relationship interferes with a case you're seperated. No three strikes and you're out here, you get one shot," he said giving them serious stares. They nodded again.

"Yes sir."

"Ok, good chat," he said standing and heading towards the door.

"Actually sir, there was something else we wanted to discuss with you," Elliot said causing him to sit back down. Cragen waited for Elliot to continue, wondering what they could possibly drop on him next. He knew his reaction had been stern but he was happy for his detectives. Elliot had been with him for awhile and underneath his hard exterior he knew he was a big softy. Olivia was a damn good detective and in the short time he knew her he could tell she was a loving and gentle spirit. He was joyed that they could make each other happy, he only hoped it didn't interfere with their work.

"We were hoping to get next Monday off. We were gonna take the kids away for the fourth," Elliot explained.

Don laughed, which caused Elliot and Olivia to exchange a worried glance.

"Yeah, you guys can have Monday off. Now get to work," he said standing and opening the door. The detectives let out a breath and smiled.

"Thank you," Elliot said, shaking his superior's hand as he left. Don simply nodded and Olivia gave him a gracious smile and made her way to her desk.

* * *

When Friday came everyone had their bags packed and ready to go. Cragen had let them leave slightly early since they weren't busy with any cases. After going home and having some dinner, Elliot and Dickie picked up the girls. The beach they would be staying at was a few hours away. Elliot had been there once before when he was younger. He had insisted on sorting out all of the details for the trip, despite Olivia's persistent offers.

Just as they started getting on the outskirts of the city Elliot opened the glove box in search of something. When he didn't find it, he opened the center console and began pawing through it.

"Shit," he mumbled under his breath . Olivia had been watching from the passenger side and sent him a questioning glance.

"I forgot the GPS," he explained . He opened the glove box and pulled out a large map.

"Would you mind giving me directions?" He gave her a sheepish look and told her the name of the beach . She gave a chuckle as she found their destination on the map. She found their location and started directing him in the right direction.

About an hour later and things started going south.

"Jesus Olivia," Elliot let out a frustrated growl.

"Yeah, its my fault _you_ missed the turn," she said with an attitude.

"Well if you gave me more than two seconds to turn," he spat back. Up until now he had been patient with her giving awful directions. She would warn him of a turn just as they were coming up to it, giving no time for error. It was the first time he had missed a turn, though he had come close more than once. Olivia was also getting frustrated with giving directions. He kept questioning if they were going the right way, saying things like 'this doesn't look familiar' or ' I don't recognize this'. She wanted to scream at him to shut up. How much was he supposed to remember after being there once?

"Would you like to do the directions on your own?" She quickly rerouted them and they went silent for a few minutes. When the road she had sent them on came to a fork, which wasn't on the map, she let out a frustrated sigh. She explained the dilemma and they took a chance and took the right turn. Soon it became obvious they had chosen the wrong way.

"I think you should stop and get help with directions," Olivia said. Elliot let out a frustrated growl, but pulled into the next gas station. He grabbed the map from Olivia's lap, a bit angrier than neccesary, before making his way inside. Olivia was thankful that Charlie was sleeping and that Dickie was consumed in his ipod . She knew it was a small disagreement but she still didn't want to argue in front of the kids. He was inside for a few minutes and she could see them going over the map from the window. When he returned he handed the map , which had a new route outline in highlighter, and pulled out of the service station. The rest of the ride was silent , apart from Olivia giving directions.

Olivia had been excited when they got to the beach. She was a city girl through and through but had always loved the beach. She hid her excitement from Elliot as they still weren't talking. If she was being honest with herself, she knew it was petty but she wasn't going to be the first one to give in.

When they pulled up to the beach house she was impressed. It was two bedrooms , two bathrooms, and was directly off of the beach. It had a large porch on the front with steps leading to the white sand. She couldn't see much of the beach in the moonlight, but she could hear the waves crashing and smell the salt in the air. Elliot had taken his time in choosing the perfect place to stay. He had excitedly explained it to her earlier in the week, but it was much better than she imagined. They silently unloaded the car and brought the bags inside. They managed to carry the kids to the twin beds that occupied the second bedroom without waking them up.

She couldn't help but glance at Elliot every now and then as they unloaded some of the grocery items they had brought with them. He hadn't even looked at her since the earlier incident. She knew that she wasn't speaking to him either but it still hurt. They were both stubborn and they both had tempers, which when pointed at each other could be disastrous. She wished he would pull his head out of his ass and just say something to her, or at least look at her.

After everything was unpacked Elliot wordlessly went to have a shower. He didn't miss the hurt in her eyes when he left and it caused him to feel guilty. He wasn't trying to be an asshole but they hadn't been talking for so long he wasn't sure what to say. It wasn't like she was completely innocent either. She was ballsy, normally it was one of his favorite things about her, but not when he was her target. When he finished his shower and exited the bathroom she was already laying in bed. She was faced away from him but he could see the glow of her ipod. He settled in the large bed next to her, not touching her. He had closed his eyes to go to sleep when he felt her turn over. She caused him to jump when she took one of her earbuds and put it into his ear. His eyes opened as he listened to the song and gave her a confused look. She knew he hated this song and he wasn't sure why she was making him listen to it. She had the worst taste in music sometimes.

She watched his face hoping he would understand what she was trying to say with the song. When his confused expression never changed she rolled her eyes and shoved the ipod towards him. When he read the screen his eyes softened a bit and he smiled.

_I'm Sorry- Buckcherry_

She always managed to surprise him. It was a cute gesture. He shifted and gave her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Me too," he said speaking for the first time in a long time. He shifted closer to her on the bed and she settled herself in his arms. She was happy that she had managed to swallow her pride and get them talking again.

"I hate fighting with you," she said quietly.

"Me too. You're scary when you're mad," he said half seriously. She laughed and he ran his hand through her hair. The soothing gesture made her eyes drift closed.

"This place is amazing," she said already half asleep. He hummed a response and gave her one last kiss on the forehead before closing his own eyes.

"Night Sweetheart," he whispered to her sleeping form.

* * *

Ok sorry it took ages

I have been a little busy lately, not enough that ts a good excuse lol

Excuse grammar and spelling mistakes please!

Review it makes me happy!

next chapter will be some of the vacation and maybe a surprise


	13. Chapter 13

The kids couldn't have woken up any earlier if they had tried. At the crack of dawn they were already in their swimsuits. They ran into the adults room, rousing them from their sleep. Olivia laughed, rolling out of bed but letting Elliot stay for awhile longer. She managed to calm them down long enough to eat a quick breakfast. As soon as they finished eating they ran straight out the sliding glass door to the beach. She planted herself in one of the lounge chairs on the deck and watched them as she sipped a cup of coffee. Elliot joined her not long later, already wearing his swim trunks. They sat togther on the deck for awhile before they decided to join them. He waited for her to change before they made their way to the beach with the kids.

The four spent the morning building a sand castle, while they waited for the sun to rise higher in the sky. When it started to heat up the kids ran straight for the water. Olivia and Elliot watched on as they splashed and ran through the water. Olivia sat in the sand not far from the shore. Elliot, being the gentleman he is, carried down one of the lounge chairs from the deck. Olivia smiled and pealed away her clothes before settling in the chair to soak up the sun. She laughed when she saw Elliot lift his sunglasses from his face and blatantly admire her body.

"See something you like Stabler?"

He gave her his infamous smile and settled the glasses back over his eyes.

"The beach looks good on you," he said moving to stand over her. She rolled her body up towards his so their lips met in a kiss. The kiss ended and he sat on the end of her long chair, picking up her legs and settling them into his lap. She sat up and started pawing through the bag she had brought, finally pulling out the sunblock. She called in the kids and made sure they were lathered up nicely before shooing them off again. Elliot smiled at her protectiveness. He grabbed the bottle from her and began rubbing some on his chest and arms.

"Need some help," she said not waiting for an answer. She rubbed the liquid over his back and planted a kiss on his shoulder before laying back down.

"You're turn?" He said wiggling his eyebrows. She laughed and tossed him a bottle of tanning oil instead. He stayed sitting at the end of the chair as he spread the liquid down her legs. He couldn't see her eyes because of her sunglasses but he heard her breathing quicken as his hands smoothed over her thighs and down her calves. He spent more time than neccesary rubbing it in. His movements were slow and precise, his hands worked the tight muscles of her unimagineably long legs. She didn't resist his touch and instead gave him full control of her leg. Once he finished both legs he laid her leg down before hovering over her body, his lips inches away from hers. He was unaware of what he had just done to her body. It was a simple task but he had managed to make it unbelievably grand. All she wanted to do was release them of their clothes and finish what he started. Their lips met and she had to force herself not to take it any further. She swallowed deeply after they separated, blushing at the affect he had on her.

Later in the afternoon Olivia and Elliot had joined the kids in the water. They dived under the water finding different shells. Dickie and Charlie had been more than thrilled when they found a small starfish. They had asked to keep it but Olivia wouldn't allow, stating it was cruel to kill the creature for selfish reasons. They were disappointed but soon got over it. Elliot swam closer and wrapped his arms around her waist. The kids were engrossed in their newly made up game, which primarily seemed to involve jumping over waves. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders as they fought the waves that were crashing around them. He started leading her backwards into deeper water, until then the water had only been up to her belly button. They stopped moving when the water level was just past her chest. She wasn't sure what his intention was until she felt him palm her ass. She let out a hearty laugh and swatted his chest playfully.

"You and that swimsuit are driving me wild. I haven't had any alone time with you all day," he whined as he pulled her body close to his. He hadn't been lying either. He found himself admiring her golden skin and the way it glowed in the sun. She looked so relaxed and at home lounging amongst the white sand. Every now and then she would catch him staring and give him a heart stopping smile. When it came to women he had won the lottery. His breath tickled her neck and it sent goosebumps down her body.

"So your idea of alone time is while the kids are 20 yards away?"

"They couldn't care less about us. They are having fun. Now shut up so I can kiss you," he said as he planted his lips on hers. She smiled into the kiss and returned it with just as much want. Their tongues dueled and Elliot's hand snaked its way up her side before his thumb swept over her erect nipple. He swallowed her moan and she pressed her body fuller into his. He responded immediately by lifting her up while she wrapped her legs around his waist. Her arms wound around his neck and she was very appreciative of the new position. She could feel his erection as it rubbed just the right spot. She rocked her hips never breaking contact with his mouth. He let out a throaty growl and thrust his own hips. Her lips left his and began exploring his jaw. He didn't let it happen for long before he claimed her lips with his own again. Kissing her was one of his favorite things. His hands were back on her ass, pushing her even further into his body.

"Ewww mom!"

Just like the moment was ruined. Their lips parted as Olivia turned to see the kids making faces a pretending to throw up playfully. He lowered her slowly back to her feet, hoping they didn't notice she had been in his arms.

"Can you guys quit making out? We are hungry!" Dickie yelled as the kids both laughed. They were already making their way to the house. Olivia gave him a quick peck on the lips before heading towards the shore.

"I'll go. Take your time," she said over her shoulder, knowing he would have to calm himself down before getting out of the water.

After lunch Elliot joined the kids in the water while Olivia soaked up the sun. She watched on as the kids jumped on Elliot trying to dunk him. He would laugh and grab one child at a time tossing them high into the air before they crashed into the water, almost immediately trying to dunk him again. Olivia smiled at the interaction. She had always wished Daniel was still in Charlie's life. It saddened her to know that Charlie lacked a father figure. Watching Elliot she wondered if she had finally found someone to fill that gap in her daughters life. She wasn't sure where their relationship was headed but she knew that they mature enough to still be friends if it didn't work out. If she was being honest with herself he had been somewhat of a father figure to Charlie before they started dating. Charlie had always gushed about him after their visits. Elliot had always gone out of his way for Charlie. She tried not to overthink it as she laid and watched her three favorite people.

Later that night Elliot laid spread across the bed on his stomach. He groaned as Olivia worked the tight muscles of his back. After they settled in for the night she could tell he was trying to hide the fact that his back was sore. After the kids were asleep she silently pushed him towards their room and started rubbing his back.

"I'm getting old," he laughed.

"Just last week Dickie asked me to buy him a pair of skinny jeans. When the hell did boys start wearing skinny jeans?" He continued. Olivia laughed and shook her head even though he couldn't see it.

"You are far too sexy to be old," she joked. She laughed when his head whipped to the side revealing his devilish grin. He sat up, and by the look in his eyes she knew he meant business. She didn't falter or back down when his lips crashed onto hers. She had been waiting to get him alone since their earlier encounter in the water. She shifted so she was laying on the bed with his body draped over hers. He wasted no time and had already started removing her pants.

"Our children had better be asleep. The last thing I want is another chat with Dickie about our sex life," she said against his lips. He laughed and pulled back only long enough to remove her of her shirt. Her hands went to work removing his pants as he laughed.

"Guess we better stay quiet," he said before returning his mouth to hers.

* * *

The next day was also spent swimming and playing on the beach. They had an adults versus kids soccer game, which ended with Olivia and Elliot getting creamed. They had been proud of their little athletes but a bit surprised, they had put their best effort forward and still got beat. 'Maybe we are getting old' Olivia had joked.

When night fell Olivia and Elliot found themselves curled up together in one the loungers. They had surprised the kids with sparklers, which resulted in them running wildly on the beach while carrying them. The fireworks show was scheduled o start in a matter of minutes. The kids ran onto the porch to get a new sparkler and then ran off again, for the umpteenth time. Olivia laughed and sipped the glass of wine in her hand. Elliot had his arms wrapped around her waist and gave her a bit of a squeeze.

When the fireworks began bursting overhead Olivia laid back even more into Elliot's arms. The kids stopped running and sat in the sand, their heads pointed towards the sky. Colors danced in the sky but Elliot couldn't focus on them. He was busy admiring the way the color danced on Olivia's face. She was unaware of the fact that he was staring at her. He smiled at her look of fascination. He had always though she was beautiful but this weekend she had been so carefree and relaxed, making her seem even more stunning. He craned his neck and planted a kiss on her temple. Her eyes met his and she gave him a dazzling smile.

"I love you," the words fell from his lips before he could stop them. The smile remained on her face for a second before a look of fear took over her features. He kept his arms loosely around her waist, not holding her there but hoping it would encourage her to stay. He was aware of her tendency to panic and run from a situation. He found it frustrating at times but also tried to be respectful of her feelings. He hadn't meant to ruin the moment and cause her worry, but his feelings had been growing harder to hide. She got up slowly from his arms, shooting him an apologetic look before going inside.

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DUN DUN DUN!

why did Olivia run? will Elliot run after her? will she say it back?

SO sorry it took so long to update!

pls review


	14. Chapter 14

Elliot let out a frustrated sigh. He wanted to run after her but instead he remained seated. He was hurt by her reaction. He had known that she was guarded from the beginning. It took him a long time to work his way through her walls and he thought she might finally be more accepting of their relationship. Apparently he was wrong. He didn't think he had been rushing into telling her he loved her. Had he planned it or expected it himself? No. They knew from the beginning it wasn't a fling. What did she expect to happen? He didn't want to be upset with her, but how much more did he have to do to prove he wasn't going to hurt her?

He took a long swig of his drink. AT that moment the kids came running onto the porch, with the firework display now over they needed more sparklers. He tried not to show any signs that he was upset. By the look on Charlie's face he knew he failed. She waved to Dickie signalling that she would join him in a second. She leaned against the table and observed Elliot for a second before speaking.

"Is my mom ok?" He knew she must have seen Olivia rush inside.

"Yeah, she just isn't feeling very well," he reassured her. He didn't want to lie to her but he was left in an awkward situation. Charlie nodded, accepting is answer. He thought she might runoff but she never moved. She seemed deep in thought.

"You ok?" Her eyes lifted from their spot on the floor as if she forgot he was there.

"You guys aren't breaking up are you?" Her voice was barely above a whisper.

"No, of course not. Why would you think that?" She offered no response, other than a shrug of her shoulders.

"You make my mom really happy," Charlie had moved from the table to the chair next to Elliot's. He gave her a soft smile. If only she had seen what had just happened.

"I don't know about that," he said rubbing a hand down his face. Charlie had either chose to ignore his comment or was confused by it, but she didn't respond to it.

"The way she smiles with you is the same way she is smiling in the pictures with my dad." The statement weighed heavy in Elliot's chest. It was a simple observation by the girl and he was sure she didn't know how much it meant to him. Over the time he had known Olivia and her daughter they had become a huge part of his life. He had verbalized the love he had felt and it hadn't been returned. Now Charlie was telling him of the love she could see in her mother's eye. She was extremely observant for a young girl. As he was trying to think of a response to her statement she stood from her position. She wrapped her arms around his shoulder.

"I love you Elliot," she said quickly, almost as if she was embarrassed, before running off and joining Dickie on the beach. He couldn't help the smile on his face. It wasn't the 'I love you' he had been expecting, but it touched his heart all the same.

Meanwhile, inside Olivia was pacing the floor. His confession had taken her by surprise. Their weekend had been so wonderful and her guard had been down. It wasn't something she was used to. She had lost the last man she had said 'I love you" to, it hadn't been an easy thing to recover from. It had turned her into a bit of hard case. She almost never gave anyone the benefit of the doubt and was always cautious. Elliot had changed her. Why, then, did she panic when he had told her he loved her? She should be rejoicing. He was an amazing father and their relationship had been magical. She couldn't deny that she had been thinking about their future more and more.

Perhaps it was just familiarity that made her run. In the past when a man would profess his love for her, her feelings of self-preservation would kick in and she would head for the hills. They were nothing like Elliot though. She was still panicking, but now it seemed for a different reason. She knew she had made a mistake. _Why do you always do this? You finally find an amazing man who loves you and your daughter and you ruin it_. A tear slipped from her eyes as she scolded herself. She wanted to rewind time and do everything all over again. Instead of running she would stay in his arms and rejoice in the feeling. She ruined her opportunity. He was probably furious with her and incredibly heart broken. Something she never wanted to cause. She stopped pacing and sat on the bed as more tears fell.

She heard a knock on the doorframe as she sat in her own regret. She looked up to see Elliot filling the space.

"Can I come in?" She nodded and swatted at her tears. She could see his hesitation and it only fed her sadness.

"Are you ok?" Again she nodded, not sure if she trusted her voice.

"I'm not sorry I told you that I love you but I am sorry that it upset you. It wasn't my intention," his voice remained calm as he sat on the bed next to her. He stayed close to her but didn't touch her. Her tears started falling again. She had been weak and her action had hurt him yet he was the one apologizing.

"I'm so sorry," she all but sobbed. He couldn't take it anymore as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her into his side.

"You don't have anything to apologize for-"

"I do. I acted immature and unreasonable. I panicked and overthought things like I always do. You deserved more than that. I'm so sorry," she said her eyes finding his. He gave her a soft smile.

"I'd be surprised if you didn't overthink things every now and then. It's who you are. It's who I fell in love with," he said cautiously, hoping she might be a bit more responsive to his words this time. He was rewarded with a kiss on the lips. He leaned his forehead on hers after their lips parted, a content smile on his face.

"I did realize one thing while I was in here though."

"What's that?"

"That I love you too." She was smiling widely. His mouth was on hers in an instant and she felt more passion in the kiss than she had ever felt before.

"I love you so much," he said, his lips never leaving hers. They let the kiss last a few minutes before they separated. They made their way back to the porch and settled back into the same position they had been previously. This time however, they found it harder to keep their hands off of each other. Stealing kisses and whispering sweet nothings as they watched their kids play on the beach.

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It isnt super long but it ties up last chapter...the nextt chapter is planned out in m head so prolly will be up soonish

I got a new laptop so im finding it much easier writing(compared to usually doing most of the other chapters on my phone)

Anything you guys wanna see happen in the future with my four fave characters? let me know! I love spitballing new ideas

review pls!


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